Chang-Rae Lee

Date of Birth: July 29, 1965

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Biography

Chang-Rae Lee, an acclaimed Korean-American novelist, was born in South Korea and immigrated to the United States with his family when he was three years old. He grew up in Westchester, New York, and went on to graduate from Yale University with a degree in English. Following his undergraduate education, Lee earned his Master of Fine Arts in writing from the University of Oregon. Lee’s debut novel, “Native Speaker,” published in 1995, won the PEN/Hemingway Award for Best First Novel and established him as a significant voice in American literature. The novel explores themes of immigration, identity, and assimilation, which are recurrent in his works. His subsequent novels, “A Gesture Life” (1999), “Aloft” (2004), and “The Surrendered” (2010), continued to receive critical acclaim and numerous awards. Lee’s writing is characterized by its deep exploration of personal and cultural identity, often reflecting his experiences as an immigrant and his insights into the human condition. He has taught creative writing at various prestigious institutions, including Princeton University, where he is currently a professor of creative writing.

5 Interesting Facts about Chang-Rae Lee

1. Chang-Rae Lee’s debut novel, “Native Speaker,” won the PEN/Hemingway Award for Best First Novel.

2. He was named one of The New Yorker’s “20 Under 40” fiction writers to watch in 1999.

3. Lee’s novel “The Surrendered” was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2011.

4. He has taught at several esteemed institutions, including Princeton University and Stanford University.

5. Lee’s works often explore themes of immigration, identity, and the complexities of assimilation in American society.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Chang-Rae Lee

1. “To be a writer is to be an observer, and to be an observer is to be alienated.”

2. “Memory is the sense of loss, and loss pulls us after it.”

3. “We can’t ever go back to old things or try and get the ‘old kick’ out of something or find things the way we remembered them. We have to go forward. It’s the only thing we can do.”

4. “I’ve always wanted to show that the Asian story is an American story.”

5. “Sometimes you can’t know what you’re missing until you reach out to touch it.”