From there joon comes of age on the streets of new york, balancing on a tightrop. Her stories have been published in granta, pushcart prize anthology, the iowa. Miles from nowhere, which is by firsttime novelist nami mun, covers everything from joons stint living in a homeless shelter to her coming to grips with the eyeopening reality of escort work in a night club. I have decided write about a decision or a choice that you have made recently in your life. After earning her ged, she graduated from uc berkeley, and earned an mfa from the. Miles from nowhere, by nami munreturnreturni received miles from nowhere, by nami mun about a week ago, and decided to glance over the first few pages on saturday. She has worked as an avon lady, an activities coordinator for a nursing. Miles from nowhere, published in 2008 by riverhead, is nami mun s first novel. Miles from nowhere is the stunning debut novel from pushcart prizewinning author nami mun. Fequiere, contributing writer ladies and gentlemen, there it is, howard cosell informed the nation during the 1977 world series. Whenever i witness something odd on the streets or hear intriguing dialogue on the trains, my first impulse is to drop these things into my fiction bank. Express milwaukee youth does not stop joon from speaking in a raw, jarring voice that makes you ache for her santa fe new mexican uncompromising from start to finish, miles from nowhere is a forceful debut that sets mun herself apart from other authors as a. Feb 21, 2009 vivid and mournful, miles from nowhere follows five agonizing years in the life of joon, a korean teenager who slides onto societys jagged edges after her family disintegrates. Ali ahn growing up in the bronx during the 80s, korean immigrant teen joon is forced out on her own as her family crumbles around her.
Nami mun is a refreshing new voice in asianamerican literature. You cant go around helping all your friends cause they start depending on. For her first book, miles from nowhere, she received a whiting award, a pushcart prize, the chicago public librarys 21st century award, the hopwood award, and was a finalist for the orange prize for new writers and the asian american liter. Joon is the dysfunctional and likable protagonist of nami muns debut novel, miles from nowhere. Sep 01, 2009 nami mun s debut novel is a series of episodes in the life of joon, a korean american living in the bronx during the 1980s. She has received a pushcart prize, as well as scholarships and residencies from. Nami mun nami mun grew up in seoul, south korea and bronx, new york. Unfolding in the new york city of the 1970s and 80s, miles from nowhere contains a surfeit of period references eighttrack tapes and riunite on ice, but the narrative moves back and forth in time so fluidly that it seems to take place, as the title suggests, in. Type something to see the thing youre actually looking for. The cast of nami muns first novel is mostly toughtalking, drugshooting, streethustling teenage runaways in the 1980s bronx. Miles from nowhere by nami mun riverhead books, 2009 few of us truly know the hardships and struggles that come with running away from home. Id left a bed and a mother to sleep under storefront awnings right beside men who thought a homeless girl was a warm radiator they could put their hands to. Read miles from nowhere by nami mun available from rakuten kobo. Growing up in the bronx during the 80s, korean immigrant teen joon is forced out on her own as her family crumbles around her.
In miles from nowhere, a tale of misspent adolescence. Befitting the confessions of its opiateeating narrator, nami muns first novel has a junkies jumbled sense of chronology. Nami muns debut novel is a series of episodes in the life of joon, a korean american living in the bronx during the 1980s. Nami mun miles from nowhere riverhead by ari messer january 6, 2009. For her first book, miles from nowhere, she received a whiting award and a pushcart prize, and was shortlisted for the orange award and the asian american literary award.
Nami mun, quote from miles from nowhere and at the start of every new day, i still believed i could choose my own beginning, one that was scrubbed clean of everything past. Miles from nowhere, travel adventure by barbara savage 1983. Nami mun fleeing her 1980s bronx family home in the wake of her unfaithful fathers abandonment and her mothers mental illness, korean teen joon struggles through an adolescence marked by homeless shelters. Nami muns miles from nowhere deserves attention because it is such a compelling story, and it is such an unusual one, too. Nami mun s miles from nowhere deserves attention because it is such a compelling story, and it is such an unusual one, too. Miles from nowhere was selected as editors choice and top ten first novels by. After earning her ged, she graduated from uc berkeley. Without knowing much about this book, why do you think she chose this quote to start her book. Rendered in spare but deeply evocative prose, miles from nowhere is an unforgettable debut from awardwinning writer nami mun. Nami mun s debut novel is a series of episodes in the life of joon, a korean american living in the bronx during the 1980s. Joon is a young korean immigrant living in the bronx of the 1980s. For her first book, miles from nowhere, she received a whiting award, a pushcart prize, the chicago public librarys 21st century award, and was shortlisted for the orange prize for new writers and the asian american literary award.
Jan, 2014 nami mun discusses her first novel, miles from nowhere. Miles from nowhere chicago public library overdrive. A major voice in fiction debuts with the story of a teenage runaway on the streets of 1980s new york. Barbara savage miles from nowhere 1st edition 1st printing.
She has worked as an avon lady, an activities coordinator for a nursing home, a photojournalist, and a criminal investigator. Miles from nowhere 1992 film, directed by buzz kulik starring ricky schroder, james farentino. Miles from nowhere by nami mun recommended poetry prompt. Muns bronx burns, obscures arts the harvard crimson. Her parents have crumbled under the weight of her fathers infidelity. A raw and blisteringly honest tale of surviving on ones own terms, it overflows with rare moments of beauty, moments that speak to the heart of the human experience. Miles from nowhere by nami mun free ebooks download.
Nami mun takes a cast of junkies and runaways and brings them fiercely and frankly to life. Miles from nowhere by nami mun in epub, fb2, rtf download ebook. For her first book, miles from nowhere, she received a whiting award, a pushcart prize, the chicago public librarys 21st century award, the hopwood award, and was shortlisted for the orange prize for new writers and the asian american literary award. Miles from nowhere 1992 film, directed by buzz kulik starring ricky schroder, james farentino miles from nowhere 2009 film, vhs and dvd release title of tv movie chasing a dream with treat williams. Nami mun grew up in seoul, south korea and bronx, new york. Nami mun uncg creative writinguncg creative writing. She has received a pushcart prize, as well as scholarships and residencies from yaddo, the macdowell colony, eastern frontier, squaw valley. The alcoholism and mental illness they suffered from in korea comes with them to their new home, and joon is the consistent victim. Many readers might well regard miles from nowhere as interrelated stories featuring the same character rather than a novel and, in fact, most of the chapters were previously published as standalone stories.
For her debut novel, miles from nowhere, she received a whiting award and a pushcart prize, and was shortlisted for the orange award and the asian american literary award. For her first book, miles from nowhere, she received a whiting award, a pushcart prize, the. Nami mun, quote from miles from nowhere i knew that wed never get there. Nami muns first novel initially appears to fall into this trap, but it eventually escapes. Oct 17, 2008 nami mun is easily one of the most important new talents in american fiction.
Nami mun is easily one of the most important new talents in american fiction. Miles from nowhere by nami mun free mobi epub ebooks download. Mun, nami miles from nowhere 1st edition 1st printing. Nami mun discusses her first novel, miles from nowhere. Margaret atwood, notes towards a poem that can never be written. Her parents have crumbled under the weight of her fathers infidelity and mental illness has rendered her mother nearly catatonic. So joon, at the age of, decides shes better off on h. Mar, 2008 miles from nowhere, by nami mun returnreturni received miles from nowhere, by nami mun about a week ago, and decided to glance over the first few pages on saturday. Nami mun, quote from miles from nowhere i looked at mr. The cast of nami muns first novel is mostly toughtalking, drugshooting, street hustling teenage runaways in the 1980s bronx. She graduated from university of california, berkeley, and from the university of michigan, with an mfa.
The main character, joonmee, is a twelveyearold koreanamerican. Nami mun was born in seoul, south korea, and grew up there and in bronx, new york. Mccommon, his hands smothering his face, his chest flinching. A major voice in fiction debuts with the story of a teenage runaway on the. Vivid and mournful, miles from nowhere follows five agonizing years in the life of joon, a korean teenager who slides onto societys jagged edges after her family disintegrates.
Click to read more about miles from nowhere by nami mun. Apr 24, 2012 something i wrote after reading nami mun s miles to nowhere. Joon, the narrator of nami mun s miles from nowhere, is not one of us. Something i wrote after reading nami muns miles to nowhere. I knew this, in the same way i knew tati would never be a teacher, and that. To see clearly and without flinching, without turning away, this is agony, the eyes taped open two inches from the sun. Teenage joon is a korean immigrant living in the bronx of the 1980s. Miles from nowhere is closer to a novel in stories than a sustained narrative. In miles from nowhere, a tale of misspent adolescence the. Miles from nowhere, published in 2008 by riverhead, is nami muns first novel. After earning her ged, she graduated from uc berkeley, and earned an mfa from the university of michigan.
Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Miles from nowhere by nami mun riverhead by roxanne j. Miles from nowhere by nami mun brief, balanced and gritty, nami muns debut shows much promise, says catherine taylor. After earning her ged, she graduated from uc berkeley, and earned. From there joon comes of age on the streets of new york, balancing on a. Miles from nowhere by nami mun by nami mun by nami mun by nami mun. Muns first novel is a 1980s urban odyssey in which joonmee, a 12yearold koreanamerican, leaves her troubled bronx family for the life of a.
Homelessness, family relationships, survival, friendships trust, truth recommended opening. Miles from nowhere became a national bestseller within first weeks. Joon, the narrator of nami muns miles from nowhere, is not one of us. Miles from nowhere by nami mun o what are the lessons knowledge tries to impart to joon regarding the encounter. Theres a moment in miles from nowhere, nami muns first novel, when a flashlight dangling from the ceiling of a squatters apartment in an abandoned building made pretty everything it touchedan open can of ravioli, the bandage just below his knee, a green leather purse. Julia louisdreyfus, jude law, and more stars at sundance 2020 share who theyd like to be played by in a movie of their lives. Nami mun is a korean american novelist and short story writer. Joon is the dysfunctional and likable protagonist of nami mun s debut novel, miles from nowhere. For her first book, miles from nowhere, she received a whiting award, a pushcart prize, the chicago public librarys 21st century award, the hopwood award, and was a finalist for the orange prize for. Alexander chee, author of edinburgh a starkly beautiful book, shot through with grace and lit by an offhand street poetry.
Miles from nowhere was selected as editors choice and top ten first novels by booklist. It is the selftold story of joon, a young teenage daughter of korean immigrants in the bronx. When i receive an arc i thumb through the book, read a little and try to obtain an overview before i sit down and read it. Teenage joon is a korean immigrant living in the bronx of the 1. Pesetsky, bette author from a savage people 1st edition 1st printing.
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