Krys Lee

Krys Lee is a literary fiction writer with a unique outlook on creativity and creating, who often focuses her work on Korean and American lives.

Krys Lee is the author of three novels, as well as over ten short stories which have been praised in publications and literary reviews. She is a two-time winner of the prestigious National Book Award. Her works are very unique in their perspective, often focusing on the lives of Korean and American people, particularly those in Asian American communities.

Krys Lee was born in South Korea and moved to the United States when she was seven. She grew up in Washington, D.C. and began her writing career by writing opinion pieces for the Washington Post and The New Republic. Since then, she has focused on novels and short stories, which she has published in The Paris Review, Glimmer Train, and The New Yorker.

Her debut novel, Drifting House, was highly praised and she won the 2012 Story Prize for Literature for it. The novel focuses on three Korean refugees and their struggles with identity in the US and in South Korea. It was described as “an arresting and powerful debut” by the National Book Award committee. It was also a finalist for the New York Public Library Young Lions Award and the PEN/Hemingway Award.

Lee’s second novel, How I Became a North Korean, was set in her native South Korea. The novel tells the tale of two brothers, one who dreams of escaping North Korea and one who dreams of staying. The novel was a finalist for the National Book Award.

Lee’s most recent novel, Free Food for Millionaires, was described by the New York Times as an “exploration of Asian American identity, a funny and sharply observed story about a young woman who has achieved success but finds that coming to terms with her real identity is far from simple”. The novel was a finalist for the Asian American Literary Awards and was longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award.

Krys Lee’s writing often centers on themes of identity and the struggles of immigrants or people of color living in America and South Korea. Her writing is both moving and beautiful, and it has been recognized by critics and readers alike. She is considered to be among the top contemporary Asian American writers, and her works have been praised by numerous publications, including the New York Times and the Washington Post.

Krys Lee is an incredibly talented writer, and her works should not be missed. Her unique outlook on the lives of immigrants and people of color is both thought-provoking and deeply moving, and it is clear to see why her works stand out amongst contemporary Asian American literature.