Conversation with Professor Shawn Wong

“You face failure every day as a writer,” says writer and professor Shawn Wong. In this wide-ranging conversation, Wong cracks open the door to the creative process and lets us peek in to understand the importance of representation in literature and why he teaches his students to tell the truth, not the facts.

Presented to students on October 20, 2020.

Featuring Shawn Wong

Shawn Wong, professor of English and Cinema and Media Studies, is the author of several books including “Homebase” and “American Knees.” Wong is a co-editor of “Aiiieeeee! An Anthology of Asian American Writers,” which, when it was first published in the 1970s, helped establish a literary tradition for Asian American writers. Wong is also a volunteer on the faculty of The Red Badge Project.

Related reading

The Asian-American Canon Breakers // The New Yorker // December 30, 2019