Minor Feelings Summary

Summary of Minor Feelings Book by Cathy Park Hong

Name: Minor Feelings
Rating: 4.6 (2548 reviews)
Author: Cathy Park Hong

4.6 . 2548 reviews

Short summary

For centuries, there has been a very real racism problem in the United States. We’ve seen countless incidents involving ethnic groups experiencing inequality and unfair treatment. Despite awareness of the problem, little seems to change. When it comes to the Asian American community, they often get overlooked in the mainstream media, but that doesn’t mean that racism isn’t rife for Americans of Asian ancestry. New York Times bestselling author and National Book Critics Circle Award winner, poet, and essayist Cathy Park Hong shares her personal and professional experiences of racism directed at Asian American people and how these experiences have shaped her life from childhood to being a parent herself. “Hong uses her own experiences as a jumping off point to examine race and emotion in the United States.” ~ Newsweek

13 min

8 key points

13 insights

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Table of content

Summary of Minor Feelings
About the author
What is Minor Feelings about?
Who should read Minor Feelings
Topics in Minor Feelings

first key point

Being Asian American often means feeling unseen

Listen the first key point

00:00

There are many ethnic groups in the U.S. experiencing racism and unequal treatment. The Asian American community is often the group that doesn’t get mentioned as much as perhaps the Black community or the Hispanic community.

Does that mean they’re not subjected to racism as much as other groups? Not at all. The difference here is that Asian Americans are somehow invisible yet still divisive amongst many White Americans at the same time.

Asian Americans are not talked about as much as many other ethnic groups in the U.S. This can lead to Asian Americans feeling invisible.

According to Cathy Park Hong, “Asian Americans inhabit a vague purgatorial status ... distrusted by African Americans, ignored by whites, unless we’re being used by whites to keep the black man down.” Asian Americans are constantly struggling to work out where they fit in, often toiling and compensating too much just to be noticed by those around them. For many years, Cathy Park Hong struggled with her identity, and she often felt invisible. She worked hard to prove herself yet never really knew what she had to do to be accepted.

Hong’s parents traveled to the U.S. from Seoul, Korea. Hong herself was born in Koreatown, Los Angeles. Throughout her childhood, there were many ups and downs, including a distinct lack of money. However, her father eventually bought a business that funded Hong’s education. Hong shares how her father’s experiences of racial injustice have shaped the way he sees those around him today. For her father, every small thing comes down to the fact that he is Asian and not White. This mistrust has been born out of years of unequal treatment.

The question of racial identity can bedevil the children of Asian immigrants. ~ Cathy Park Hong

second key point

The history of Asian Americans shows racism in abundance

Hong has tried to talk to White people about racism many times and has always found it a frustrating and tiring process. It’s challenging to explain a situation to someone who has never experienced it and never will. The reality of a person belonging to an ethnic group is utterly different from a White American’s reality, dating back hundreds of years into history.

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third key point

The American Airlines incident shocked and highlighted racism in the U.S.

fourth key point

Asian Americans are less “seen” but expected to work harder

fifth key point

The L.A. riots fundamentally altered Korean Americans’ course of life in the U.S.

sixth key point

Childhood as an Asian American is often difficult

seventh key point

The rise of hate crimes haunts minority communities in the U.S.

eighth key point

Conclusion

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What is Minor Feelings about?

"Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning" by Cathy Park Hong is a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of the Asian American experience. Through a blend of personal anecdotes, cultural criticism, and historical analysis, the book delves into the complexities of racial identity, stereotypes, and the marginalization faced by Asian Americans. Hong's candid and insightful writing challenges societal narratives, offering a profound examination of the emotional and psychological impact of being a minority in America.

Who should read Minor Feelings

Asian Americans seeking a profound exploration of their identity.
Individuals interested in understanding the complexities of racial experiences.
Anyone looking to challenge their preconceptions and broaden their perspective.

Topics in Minor Feelings

Asian History Racism Immigration Identity Cultural History Sociology Personal Development Social Justice Discrimination Social Issues Memoir Immigration

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