My Good Son

Book excerpt: Winner of the University of New Orleans Publishing Lab Prize Electric Literature, 43 Books By Women of Color to Read in 2021 The Millions, Most Anticipated: The Great First-Half 2021 Book Preview "As with her previous books, 'Living Treasures' and 'My Old Faithful,' Huang's latest explores the generational push-pull of family life in post-Tiananmen China . . . Mr. Cai remains front and center, always compelling, a man doing everything for his boy, the way a good fathersupposedlyshould." Lysley Tenorio, The New York Times Book Review "A poignant meditation on fathers and sons, American and Chinese cultures and traditions in the face of modernity, Yang Huang's latest novel is layered, evocative and engaging." Ms., May 2021 Reads for the Rest of Us There are few things as universal as a parent's love for their childand the heartache that can accompany it. In MY GOOD SON, award-winning author Yang Huang explores both the deep power and the profound burdens of parental love through the story of Mr. Cai, a tailor in post-Tiananmen China, and his only son Feng. Like many of his generation, Mr. Cai's most fervent desire is for his son to succeed. He manages to get Feng to pass his entrance exams, and turns to an American customer, Jude, to sponsor his studies in the States. This scheme, hatched between the older Chinese man and a handsome gay American ex-pat, exposes readers to the parallels and differences of American and Chinese cultures father-son relationships, familial expectations, sexuality, social mobility, and privilege. Huang's writing abounds with sharp insights and a quiet humor, revealing the complexity of family relationships amidst two rapidly changing cultures.