Synopsis
Shirin, Nina, and Silvia have just gotten their first jobs in publishing, at a University Press, a traditional publisher, and a trust-fund kid’s “indie” publisher, respectively. And it’s . . . great? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ They know they’re paying their dues and the challenges they meet (Shirin’s boss just assumes she knows Cantonese, Nina cannot get promoted by sheer force of will, and Silvia has to deal with daily microaggressions) are just part of “a career in books.” When they meet their elderly neighbor, Veronica Vo, and discover she’s a Booker Prize winner dubbed the “Tampax Tolstoy” by the press, each woman finds a thread of inspiration from Veronica’s life to carry on her own path. And the result is full of twists and revelations that surprise not only the reader but the women themselves.
From: Penguin Random House
Notes on This Title
This title focuses on three women: Shirin and Silvia, who are Filipina, and Nina, who is Japanese. Shirin is a lesbian. An elderly Vietnamese woman is a major supporting character, and a white queer woman is a minor supporting character.
There are frequent depictions of racial microaggressions.
Awards
Publishers Weekly Best Books 2022: Comics Pick
Reviews
Starred Review: “With quill-sharp narration and spot-on details, this delightful graphic novel from Gavino (Last Night’s Reading) depicts New York City publishing through the eyes of three Asian American NYU grads who share an apartment.” (Source: Publishers Weekly)
“[T]he writing is sharp and funny, the trials and tribulations real and rewarding.” (Source: New York Journal of Books)
Interviews
Nerdist: “Author Kate Gavino on Her Heartfelt Graphic Novel A Career in Books“