Wednesday, December 07, 2016

2016 Asian American Poetry Books and Chapbooks


Following a month of research and asking over 388 Asian American poets, scholars, publishers, and community builders familiar with the academic, small press, mainstream, and underground Asian American literary scene, over 30 books and chapbooks of Asian American poetry have been identified for publication in 2016. I've posted a public album of the covers of these books on Facebook and Flickr with author information and book information as available.  

I would also note that this year has an impressive showing among the Vietnamese and Filipina poets, and it's a delight to see the Hmong and Khmer communities have works put forward this year as well. A special thanks to Victoria Chang, Alyss Dixon, Mari L'Esperance, Grace Loh Prasad, Sun Yung Shin, and Marianne Villanueva for their assistance in putting this list together with me. I‘m particularly happy to see that this year has been a good year for many poets to debut their very first book or chapbook, because it’s so important for us to get more of our poetic voices out into the world, now more than ever. 

Leviathan by Neil Aitken. Hyacinth Girl Press.

Standing Water Dreams by Eleanor Chai. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

one of us is wave one of us is shore by Genève Chao. Otis College of Art and Design. and Hillary is Dreaming. Make Now Books.

A Love Song, A Death Rattle, A Battle Cry by Kyle "Guante" Tran Myrhe. Button Poetry.

Unbearable Splendor by Sun Yung Shin. Coffee House Press.

Year Zero by Monica Sok. Poetry Society of America.

Night Sky With Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong. Copper Canyon Press.

OVERPOUR by Jane Wong. Action Books.

Poor Anima by Khaty Xiong. Apogee Press. Additionally, Ode to the Far Shore, Platypus Press.

I, Too Dislike It, by Mia You. 1913 Press



2 comments:

the duchess said...

also Lo Kwa Mei-En The Bees Make Money in the Lion and her chapbooks Two Tales and The Romances, Muriel Leung's book Bone Confetti, Solmaz Sharif's Look, C. Dale Young's The Halo, Rajiv Mohabir's The Taxidermist's Cut, and Grace Shuyi Liew's chapbooks Prop and Book of Interludes.

Unknown said...

What a wonderful compilation of must have reading for the end of the year. The duchess's additions are great too and I notice Fil-Am poet Patrick Rosal's brilliant Brooklyn Antediluvian is also missing. Otherwise, great list! Thank you,