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All Our Ordinary Stories
From the author of Dear Scarlet comes a graphic memoir about the obstacles one daughter faces as she attempts to connect with her immigrant parents
Beginning with her mother’s stroke in 2014, Teresa Wong takes us on a moving journey through time and place to locate the beginnings of the disconnection she feels from her parents. Through a series of stories – some epic, like her mother and father’s daring escapes from communes during China’s Cultural Revolution, and some banal, like her quitting Chinese school to watch Saturday morning cartoons – Wong carefully examines the cultural, historical, language, and personality barriers to intimacy in her family, seeking answers to the questions “Where did I come from?” and “Where are we going?” At the same time, she discovers how storytelling can bridge distances and help make sense of a life.
A book for children of immigrants trying to honour their parents’ pasts while also making a different kind of future for themselves, All Our Ordinary Stories is poignant in its understated yet nuanced depictions of complicated family dynamics. Wong’s memoir is a heartfelt exploration of identity and inheritance, as well as a testament to the transformative power of stories both told and untold.
“ltpgtltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt is a true gift of intergenerational storytelling historical nuance and most importantly emotional resonance From Maos China to Hong Kong to a quiet food court in suburban Calgary Teresa follows the trail of her parents and ancestors and learns that there are no easy conversations that can fix the damage of oppression displacement and trauma But ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigtsimultaneously shows us that we can always bear witness and lovingly carry what is passed down An extraordinary book Jen Sookfong Lee author of ltigtSuperfanltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtThrough her simple thoughtful drawings and sensitive storytelling Teresa Wong details the intense love and pervasive worry of being a child of immigrants This story is a deeply empathetic one about what it means to belong to a family Its riveting and profound Liana Finck author of ltigtLet There Be Lightltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtThrough spare penandink images and simple language Wong imagines her parents respective histories skillfully interweaving them with strands of the life the family shared in Canada A moving and heartfelt graphic memoir ltigtKirkus Reviewsltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtIn ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt a graphic memoir Wong explores what it means to translate one generations reality to the next Her illustrations transcend language conveying all manner of silences with stunning effect ltigtThe Walrusltigt Best Books of Fall 2024ltpgt”
“ltpgtWong explores her Chinese immigrant parents history with gentle curiosity wry humor and moments of aching regret Its a resonant journey into the past ltigtPublishers Weeklyltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtI love this book with my whole heart Every line written and drawn sings In it we find grief and tenderness astonishing escapes and endless afterlives ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt will pass from hand to hand it is a treasure a compass and a hope Madeleine Thien author of ltigtDo Not Say We Have Nothingltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtA moving honest graphic memoir about a womans efforts to find her own identity by deepening her understanding of her parents and their pasts ltigtForeword ltigtstarred reviewltpgt”
“ltpgtIn her sophomore graphic memoir ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt secondgen Canadian cartoonist Teresa Wong pieces together the history of her Chinese immigrant parents With striking blackandwhite sketches and simple prose Wong documents the painstaking process of this assemblage from encountering incomplete immigration documents to the elder Wongs reticence to discuss the events of their youth As the author uncovers these memories and traumas she reflects on how they have shaped her family with sequential art that deftly reveals and bridges the lack of shared language and familial closeness ltigtWinnipeg Free Pressltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtTeresa Wongs ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt is anything but her masterfully paced graphic memoir takes us through the tiny heartbreaks and beats that make up our families and ourselves beautifully articulating what is often difficult to express Reading this book is a project in expanding our capacity to care for one another I loved it you will too Kristen Radtke author of ltigtSeek You A Journey Through American Lonelinessltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtTeresa Wongs growing deftness of the comic form is on full display in ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt an exciting followup to her debut graphic memoir ltigtDear Scarletltigt A meditation on bridging distances of time place language and understanding this book is an important addition to the Canadian comics canon Jillian Tamaki cocreator of ltigtRoamingltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt bravely and completely captures the secondgeneration experience the grief frustration and impossibility of trying to reassemble what has been concealed lost or erased At its core this is a poignant tribute to immigrant mothers to quiet love to finding comfort in simple gestures like a fleeting moment of holding hands Teresa Wongs intricate sophomore graphic memoir is more than worth the wait Vivek Shraya author of ltigtPeople Changeltigt and ltigtDeath Threatltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtAn expertly paced work of comics told in black and white using crisp direct prose alongside unassuming but meaningful illustrations ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt is a memoir of quiet longing and of what it means to live in the aftermath NPR Books We Love 2024ltpgt”
“ltpgtI was truly moved by Teresa Wongs insights into the invisible life of families her ability to capture inexpressible histories and emotional undercurrents But what will stay with me is the powerful transformative story of Wongs development as an artist This wise book both beautiful in form and content is a master class in surviving through creativity Kyo Maclear author of ltigtUnearthingltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtThrough her simple thoughtful drawings and sensitive storytelling Teresa Wong details the intense love and pervasive worry of being a child of immigrants This story is a deeply empathetic one about what it means to belong to a family Its riveting and profound Liana Finck author of ltigtLet There Be Lightltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtThrough spare penandink images and simple language Wong imagines her parents respective histories skillfully interweaving them with strands of the life the family shared in Canada A moving and heartfelt graphic memoir ltigtKirkus Reviewsltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtIn ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt a graphic memoir Wong explores what it means to translate one generations reality to the next Her illustrations transcend language conveying all manner of silences with stunning effect ltigtThe Walrusltigt Best Books of Fall 2024ltpgt”
“ltpgtWong explores her Chinese immigrant parents history with gentle curiosity wry humor and moments of aching regret Its a resonant journey into the past ltigtPublishers Weeklyltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtI love this book with my whole heart Every line written and drawn sings In it we find grief and tenderness astonishing escapes and endless afterlives ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt will pass from hand to hand it is a treasure a compass and a hope Madeleine Thien author of ltigtDo Not Say We Have Nothingltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtA moving honest graphic memoir about a womans efforts to find her own identity by deepening her understanding of her parents and their pasts ltigtForeword ltigtstarred reviewltpgt”
“ltpgtIn her sophomore graphic memoir ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt secondgen Canadian cartoonist Teresa Wong pieces together the history of her Chinese immigrant parents With striking blackandwhite sketches and simple prose Wong documents the painstaking process of this assemblage from encountering incomplete immigration documents to the elder Wongs reticence to discuss the events of their youth As the author uncovers these memories and traumas she reflects on how they have shaped her family with sequential art that deftly reveals and bridges the lack of shared language and familial closeness ltigtWinnipeg Free Pressltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtTeresa Wongs ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt is anything but her masterfully paced graphic memoir takes us through the tiny heartbreaks and beats that make up our families and ourselves beautifully articulating what is often difficult to express Reading this book is a project in expanding our capacity to care for one another I loved it you will too Kristen Radtke author of ltigtSeek You A Journey Through American Lonelinessltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtTeresa Wongs growing deftness of the comic form is on full display in ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt an exciting followup to her debut graphic memoir ltigtDear Scarletltigt A meditation on bridging distances of time place language and understanding this book is an important addition to the Canadian comics canon Jillian Tamaki cocreator of ltigtRoamingltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt bravely and completely captures the secondgeneration experience the grief frustration and impossibility of trying to reassemble what has been concealed lost or erased At its core this is a poignant tribute to immigrant mothers to quiet love to finding comfort in simple gestures like a fleeting moment of holding hands Teresa Wongs intricate sophomore graphic memoir is more than worth the wait Vivek Shraya author of ltigtPeople Changeltigt and ltigtDeath Threatltigtltpgt”
“ltpgtAn expertly paced work of comics told in black and white using crisp direct prose alongside unassuming but meaningful illustrations ltigtAll Our Ordinary Storiesltigt is a memoir of quiet longing and of what it means to live in the aftermath NPR Books We Love 2024ltpgt”
“ltpgtI was truly moved by Teresa Wongs insights into the invisible life of families her ability to capture inexpressible histories and emotional undercurrents But what will stay with me is the powerful transformative story of Wongs development as an artist This wise book both beautiful in form and content is a master class in surviving through creativity Kyo Maclear author of ltigtUnearthingltigtltpgt”
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Details
Dimensions:
240 Pages
9.00in * 7.00in * 1.00in
550.00gr
Published:
September 24, 2024
Publisher:
ISBN:
9781551529493
Book Subjects:
Featured In:
Language:
eng
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