Reading & Talk: Rachel Khong - Real Americans

Moderation: René Freudenthal, Carl-Schurz-Haus

A great American novel about what makes us who we are.

A summer in New York that changes everything. A son in search of his origins. And the big question: What makes us who we are? New York City, New Year's Eve 1999: Lily Chen is 22, the daughter of Chinese immigrants and an unpaid intern at a hip media company. When she meets Matthew - charming, privileged, heir to a pharmaceutical empire - she falls in love. Two worlds collide. And yet anything seems possible. 21 years later, Lily's son Nick lives with her on a remote island. He senses something is missing. As he searches for his father, he discovers secrets that change everything - and not just for him.

Rachel Khong already attracted attention in the USA with her debut novel "Goodbye, Vitamin", published in 2017. She was awarded "Best Book of the Year" by Oprah Magazine and won the California Book Award for First Fiction. The German version was published in 2018 under the title "Das Jahr, in dem Dad ein Steak bügelte". Rachel Khong studied at Yale University and the University of Florida before devoting herself to writing. She wrote articles for various American magazines. Her latest novel "Real Americans" became an instant New York Times bestseller.

In cooperation with: Carl-Schurz-Haus Freiburg