The features editor at The Verge satirizes American xenophobia, political dysfunction, and our tech-culture industrial complex.

In his second novel, Mỹ Documents, Kevin Nguyen follows four Vietnamese cousins whose lives are upended after a terrorist attack incites a government crackdown that targets their community through mass internment of Vietnamese-American citizens. Nguyen relies on the history of Japanese internment, the Vietnam War, and more recent immigrant detention to imagine a not-entirely-implausible near American future. As the cousins confront isolation, ambition, and the fight to survive, their intertwined journeys offer a powerful meditation on racism, family, and resilience.

Nguyen discusses his novel with writer Chris Gayomali.

To join the event in person | Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins. For LIVE from NYPL events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Please arrive early to avoid disappointment; we will do our best to accommodate everyone. Booked seats that have not been claimed will be released shortly before start time, and seats may become available then. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

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ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Kevin Nguyen is the author of the novel New Waves. He is the features editor at The Verge and was previously a senior editor at GQ. He lives in Brooklyn.

Chris Gayomali is a writer and editor based in New York. He's the deputy editor at SSENSE and a former articles editor at GQ. He writes the health and wellness newsletter HEAVIES.

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ACCESSIBILITY

In-Person | Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue. You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template. This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs. 

Livestream | Captions and a transcript will be provided. Media used over the course of the conversation will be accompanied by alt text and/or audio description. You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

CONNECT

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Kevin Nguyen © Robyn Kanner
Courtesy Chris Gayomali