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R.F. Kuang's 'Yellowface' tackles cultural appropriation in publishing

R.F. Kuang's 'Yellowface' tackles cultural appropriation in publishing

NPR's Book of the Day · NPR

May 23, 20238m 41s

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Show Notes

Early in the novel Yellowface, a prominent Asian-American writer, Athena Liu, dies. Her white friend, who is struggling to break through in publishing and witnesses Athena's accident, then seizes on an opportunity: to pass off Athena's words – and identity – as her own. In today's episode, real life author R.F. Kuang speaks with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly about her new book, and how it unravels the messiness of cultural appropriation, the ethics of friendship and the complexities of imperfect characters.

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