Lorie Loeb, Executive Director, Dali Lab, Research Professor of Computer Science.
Topic
Genre
Native Speaker, the first novel by Chang-Rae Lee, is part spy novel and part search for identity as a Korean-American leaves New England on a quest for understanding about his parent’s culture. I loved the way the book moves between two narratives and, at the same time, shifts between two voices—a more lyrical narrative voice and the language of spies and thrillers. The book reveals the struggle of immigrants who are also torn between languages and cultures. I found the book challenging to read, mesmerizing, and beautifully written.