Celeste Ng Books

On Saturday, April 28, bibliophiles across the country will descend on their local booksellers to shop exclusive bookish swag, participate in fun themed activities, and catch live readings by their favorite authors during the coolest literary party of the entire year, Independent Bookstore Day. With only a few days to go, readers, writers, and retailers everywhere are starting to get excited for the day-long bookish celebration, but there is perhaps no one as thrilled for this year's festivities as Celeste Ng, the 2018 Author Ambassador. Not only is the Everything I Never Told You author helping promote the nationwide event beforehand, she has even shared with Bustle some of her personal book recommendations for readers who are shopping at the indies this weekend.

'As a reader, I’ve appreciated independent bookstores for a long time, and now, as a writer, I see how they get books into the hands of readers who need them, and how they nurture not only the literary community but the entire community around them,' Ng tells Bustle. That's why, according to the bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere, she jumped at the opportunity to be the 2018 Author Ambassador for Independent Bookstore Day. 'Now that I'm an author, I'm grateful to independent bookstores in a whole new way: for championing not just my book, but books in general and the communities that form around them,' she says.

Mar 18, 2020  —Celeste Ng’s most recent book is. The post Celeste Ng, Ann Patchett, Min Jin Lee and Others on the Books That Bring Them Comfort appeared first on New York Times. Share 214 Tweet 134 Share 38. Trending Posts. Super Bowl champion wide receiver asking for early release from prison, citing dementia, coronavirus.

If, like Ng, you plan on showing up to support one of the over 500 participating indies this weekend, the 2018 Author Ambassador has some advice for you: talk to the people who work there. 'Booksellers are a great resource — they’ll give you much better recommendations than an online algorithm, because booksellers read so much,' Ng explains. 'Tell them what you liked or didn’t like about your last read and they’ll help you find another—and soon you’ll have custom recommendations as well as (probably) a new friend.'

Just in case your friendly bookseller's suggestions aren't enough — let's face it, there is no such thing as too many new books — Ng has shared some of her own personal recommendations for Bustle readers. Check out what the 2018 Author Ambassador thinks you should be shopping for this Independent Bookstore Day, below.

If you want a big, immersive novel..

Ng suggests you try out The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer, An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, or The World of Tomorrow by Brendan Mathews.

If you like a dash of magic in your fiction..

Ng thinks you might like How to Stop Time by Matt Haig, Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, or The Power by Naomi Alderman.

If you love being the first to discover new writers..

Ng says to check out Brass by Xhenet Aliu, Everything Here is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee, orGoodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong.

If you prefer nonfiction..

Ng has 'been deeply moved by' Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, How to Be a Person in the World by Heather Havrilevsky, and A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit.

If short stories are more your jam..

Pet shop story construction equipment. Ng wants you to check out FEN by Daisy Johnson, Back Talk by Danielle Lazarin, or Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang.

If poetry is your thing..

Ng recommends you try Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong, Good Bones by Maggie Smith, Lucky Fish by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, or Bright Dead Things by Ada Limón.

If you think YA is just for teens..

Ng things this is a great time to discover The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X. R. Pan, or Munmun by Jesse Andrews.

If you want to laugh..

Ng wants you to try Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson or My Heart Is an Idiot by Davy Rothbart.

Lastly, if you’re a writer..

Ng suggests you take a peek at How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee, Scratch by Manjula Martin, or Crash Course by Robin Black.

Little Fires Everywhere is a 2017 novel by American author Celeste Ng. It is her second novel and takes place in Shaker Heights, Ohio where Ng grew up. She described writing about her hometown as 'a little bit like writing about a relative. You see all of the great things about them, you love them dearly, and yet you also know all of their quirks and their foibles.'^[1]

The novel is about two families living in 1990s Shaker Heights who are brought together through their children.

Plot[edit]

In 1998, the Richardson home catches fire. Arson is suspected, as there were multiple small fires.

One year ago, in 1997, Elena Richardson rents her rental home across town to Mia Warren, an artist, and her teenage daughter, Pearl. Elena's younger son, Moody, who is Pearl's age, develops a crush on Pearl and becomes friends with her. Pearl meets his siblings Lexie, Trip and Izzy. Pearl, who is used to a transient lifestyle in which her mother scrapes together money, is charmed by the Richardsons and their established home. She spends time every day at their home, develops a crush on Trip, and idolizes Lexie.

Mia works part-time at a Chinese restaurant and sells photographs through a dealer in New York. She becomes concerned about Pearl's idealization of the Richardsons. When Elena condescendingly offers her a job doing housekeeping for her family, she agrees only to keep an eye on Pearl. She meets Izzy, the black sheep of the family, and the two become close.

The Richardsons are invited to the birthday party of Mirabelle McCullough, the adopted daughter of Elena's friend. Mia realizes that the child is May Ling Chow, the daughter of Bebe Chow, Mia's co-worker at the restaurant, who gave up her child in the middle of a postpartum episode and economic hardship. Bebe has been looking for her child for over a year. Mia informs Bebe, though the McCulloughs refuse to let her see Mirabelle. Bebe is despondent as she has no money for lawyers. Mia advises her to get the local news involved. The scandal results in Bebe getting visitation rights and help from a lawyer pro bono.

Elena discovers that Bebe learned of her child's whereabouts through Mia. Angry on behalf of her friend, she investigates Mia's past. She tracks down Mia's parents and learns that Pearl was conceived by Mia for a wealthy New York couple who were unable to have children of their own. Mia could not face the idea of giving up her child. She told the couple that she miscarried and ran away with Pearl; Mia's parents hadn't heard from her since.

Lexie gets pregnant and asks Pearl to come with her to get an abortion. Afraid of being discovered, Lexie uses Pearl's name at the clinic. Pearl and Trip begin to have sex, which they keep a secret from everyone. When Moody discovers what's going on, he and Pearl stop speaking. Elena investigates a suspicion that Bebe had an abortion and, to her shock, discovers Pearl is listed as having had one. She confronts Moody about being the father, but he tells her she is accusing the wrong son.

Bebe Chow loses her case and Mia comforts her. Elena tells Mia she knows about Pearl and that she must move out. Pearl is reluctant to go, but Mia explains about her biological father and she accepts. Izzy realizes that Moody, Lexie, and Trip have all used Pearl in their own way and becomes angry at them. Choosing a moment when they are all out of the house, she starts small fires on everyone's beds, not realizing that her mother is still in the house. Elena manages to escape the fire unharmed. After the fire, the Richardsons go to the rental home, now vacated by the Warrens, where they find that Mia has left them with photographs that have personal significance to each of them.

Bebe Chow, using Mia's words as inspiration, sneaks into the McCulloughs' home and kidnaps her daughter, flying with her to Canton. The McCulloughs unsuccessfully spend thousands of dollars searching for them. Eventually, they are approved to adopt a baby from China. Mia and Pearl hit the road, planning to reconnect with Mia's family and Pearl's father. Izzy runs away to Pittsburgh with the name of Mia's parents, promising herself that if she is caught and returned, she will continue to run away until she is never forced to come back again. Elena realizes that her greatest fear, losing Izzy, has come true, and vows to spend the rest of her life looking for her daughter.

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Main characters[edit]

The Richardson Family

• Elena Richardson - A 3rd generation resident of Shaker Heights who writes for the local paper
• Bill Richardson - A prominent lawyer
• Lexie Richardson - The oldest Richardson child who is a senior in high school
• Trip Richardson - The second oldest Richardson child who is a jock
• Moody Richardson - A well-meaning and kind person. He is the one who introduces Pearl to his family and develops a crush on her
• Izzy Richardson - The black sheep of the family who rejects the Richardsons upper-middle class lifestyle

The Warrens

• Mia Warren - A photographer who specializes in unique prints. She has lived a transient lifestyle for Pearl's entire life and refuses to tell her who her father is
• Pearl Warren - Mia's daughter who is the same age as Moody

Bebe Chow

• Mia's co-worker, who wants her abandoned baby back from the McCulloughs

The McCullough Family

• Linda McCullough - A childhood friend of Elena's
• Mirabelle McCullough/May Ling Chow - Her adopted infant daughter

Reception[edit]

Writing for The Guardian, Lionel Shriver found the book 'extremely well done and yet [she] didn’t warm to it'.^[2]

The book was voted as the winner of the Goodreads Choice Awards for fiction in 2017.^[3] It was also Amazon's Best Novel of 2017.

Television adaptation[edit]

A television miniseries adaptation of the novel has been executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington for Hulu with an 8-episode order.^[4] Witherspoon and Washington are also starring in it. Liz Tigelaar is set to be the showrunner and executive producer. Ng is set to be a producer as well.^[5]

References[edit]

1. ^Simon, Scott. 'A Mother And Daughter Upset Suburban Status Quo In 'Little Fires Everywhere' Listen· 7:12'. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
2. ^Shriver, Lionel. 'Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng – review'. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
3. ^https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34273236-little-fires-everywhere
4. ^Andreeva, Nellie (March 12, 2018). 'Hulu Nabs Little Fires Everywhere' Limited Series Starring Reese Witherspoon & Kerry Washington'. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
5. ^Andreeva, Nellie (March 3, 2018). 'Reese Witherspoon & Kerry Washington To Star In Limited Series Based On 'Little Fires Everywhere' Book For ABC Signature'. Retrieved March 3, 2018.

External links[edit]