Interior Chinatown

 Interior Chinatown: a Novel / Charles Yu, 270 pp.

I always feel a bit silly writing that a National Book Award-winning book is good, but to say otherwise would be a lie!  Willis Wu grew up in the Chinatown SRO above the Golden Palace restaurant, watching his parents struggle to succeed as Young Beautiful Oriental Woman and Generic Asian man, and always dreaming of becoming Kung Fu Man.  When adulthood finds him trapped as Special Guest Star on the TV detective series Black and White, featuring a black male and white female detective, Willis struggles to break free.  

The whole novel works within the conceit of bit actors playing minor parts on a stage (or in front of a camera), but it works seamlessly.  Tremendously imaginative and insightful.  Essential American reading.