A novel, especially a first novel, is... really an emotional autobiography. All these emotions I'm embarrassed at having had, I've written about. Min Jin Lee More Quotes by Min Jin Lee More Quotes From Min Jin Lee I was told many times that my writing was either too Korean - or not Korean enough. Min Jin Lee korean enough writing The Weird Sisters is a chronicle of real women, because it tells the truths of sisters. Eleanor Brown has written a compelling novel about love, despair and birth order—the themes the Bard himself had claimed and burnished. Min Jin Lee despair real order Twenty-five million people who live in North Korea are denied freedom in every respect of their lives. In short, they are hostages. Imagine 25 million hostages. Min Jin Lee live respect freedom people After I quit being a lawyer in '95, I was having a lot of trouble writing. Then I read somewhere that Willa Cather read a chapter of the Bible every day before she started work. I thought, 'Okay, I'll try it.' Before each writing session, I started to read the Bible like a writer, thinking about language, character, and themes. Min Jin Lee day work bible character I had thought that Tokyo would be like New York City, but it wasn't. I'd imagined that they'd be similar in their bustle and noise level, but, in fact, Tokyo is a very calm metropolis. The bright lights and hectic night-life images so often found in advertisements and Western media do not reflect every day Japan. Min Jin Lee city day lights calm Koreans love to dance; they love to sing. If you actually know Koreans, you see how absurd the stereotype of the 'Asian robot' is. They love to laugh - they're very affectionate. Maybe because of their history of oppression, when they feel you are part of their tribe, they are intensely loyal. I love that about Koreans! Min Jin Lee you dance love history I had liver disease. I'm completely cured now, but I thought about if I died from liver cancer, what my life would look like. I followed this wish of being a fiction writer. Min Jin Lee my-life look wish life My father was born on Christmas Day in 1934. He grew up in what is now part of North Korea. When the Korean War began, my father was 16, and he found passage on an American refugee ship,thinking he'd be gone for just a few days, but he never saw his mother or his sister again. Min Jin Lee day christmas mother war One of the nice things about getting older is that you come to understand that you can integrate multiple aspects of your life together. When you're young, you think everything has to be binary, as that's exactly how you feel at that age. Min Jin Lee you age together life I think that the shame of being different is very painful for a lot of people. Min Jin Lee think being-different painful people One thing that struck me in my study of history is how people are excluded. I don't mean just racial minorities or women. Pretty much all poor people who don't have documents are excluded from history and its records. People who were illiterate usually didn't leave any primary documents. Min Jin Lee me women history people I have to be honest about this: I wouldn't tell a lot of kids to go and be writers. It's a tough, tough business. It's not a business. It's more like a tough road. It's a really tough road. Min Jin Lee road go tough business If I meet a wise person, I think, 'Yes, tell me more about parenting, about marriage, about how to stay in love. Tell me more about how to be a decent person living in a world that's filled with chaos.' Min Jin Lee me parenting marriage love I believe there is meaning in life. I believe there is good and evil. Min Jin Lee good evil life believe We need to recognize how difficult and important being a mother is. Min Jin Lee need difficult important mother There's a lot of freedom in failure, and I can see that now. Min Jin Lee see failure freedom i-can For me, whatever you write about should be worthy of your attention, worthy of your gifts. That's very important. Min Jin Lee me you important attention I don't hold any contempt for people who are practicing law. I know how hard it is, I know how hard they work, and I know some of them who are so unhappy with it. Min Jin Lee unhappy law work people You really should respect other people's work because work is hard-won. Min Jin Lee you respect work people I think that if you're a writer and a woman, then you have to take humiliation very well. Min Jin Lee well woman think you
