Chinese Prodigal: A Memoir in Eight Arguments
memoir · First published 2023
Author guide
David Shih Books in Order
David Shih is Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. His writing on race and Asian American identity has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The New Republic, The Progressive, Slate, NPR's Code Switch, Electric Literature, Literary Hub, and Inside Higher Ed. His debut book, Chinese Prodigal: A Memoir in Eight Arguments, explores family, migration, racial hierarchy, and the complicated process of becoming American. The book won the Bernard J. Brommel Award for Biography/Memoir and the Blei/Derleth Nonfiction Book Award.
memoiressaysnonfictionAsian American literature
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Chinese Prodigal: A Memoir in Eight Arguments
David Shih's debut and only separately published book, presenting his central work on Asian American identity, family, race, and belonging.
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- Chinese Prodigal: A Memoir in Eight Arguments
memoir · 2023
Frequently asked questions about David Shih
Who is David Shih?
David Shih is an American writer and Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he has taught since 1999. His academic interests include Asian American literature, critical studies, rhetoric and composition, and critical Hmong studies.
Source: uwec.edu (opens in a new tab)
Where was David Shih born, and what is his cultural background?
Shih was born in Hong Kong and came to the United States with his parents as an infant in 1971; he grew up in north Texas. He describes his experiences through Asian American and Chinese American identity.
Sources: kirkusreviews.com (opens in a new tab)davidshih.com (opens in a new tab)
What influences David Shih’s writing?
His writing is shaped by family migration, racial hierarchy, and the socially constructed nature of Asian American identity. He has also explored affirmative action, interracial love, mixed-race parentage, law enforcement, and relationships among Black, white, and Asian racial identities.
What awards has David Shih received?
His memoir won the Bernard J. Brommel Award for Biography/Memoir from the Society of Midland Authors and the Norbert Blei/August Derleth Nonfiction Book Award from the Wisconsin Writers Awards. It also received the 2024 Memoir Prize for Books, according to UW-Eau Claire.
Sources: davidshih.com (opens in a new tab)uwec.edu (opens in a new tab)artlitlab.org (opens in a new tab)
How has David Shih contributed to academia and public conversations?
At UW-Eau Claire, Shih has helped advance equity, diversity, and inclusion and regularly presents on those issues in higher education. His public-facing writing has appeared in outlets including The New York Times, NPR’s Code Switch, The New Republic, Slate, and Electric Literature.
Sources: uwec.edu (opens in a new tab)davidshih.com (opens in a new tab)