Common Reading Program author Kim Fu will visit campus Thursday

Kim-Fu

'Primarily, I want my novel to connect and entertain, and for readers to come to their own conclusions,' said Common Reading Program author Kim Fu. Her 2014 novel 'For Today I Am a Boy' is the focus of this year's program, designed to establish connections between incoming McMaster students. 


The Common Reading Program for 2015 will discuss the debut novel written by Kim Fu, For Today I Am a Boy.

Published in 2014, this coming-of-age tale describes the trials and tribulations of a boy, Peter Huang, born into a family of daughters who knows deep down he was meant to be female.

At birth, Peter is given the Chinese name Juan Chaun, meaning powerful king. It is a book that challenges the western view of masculinity.

“Primarily, I want my novel to connect and entertain, and for readers to come to their own conclusions, but a couple things come to mind as a takeaway: the joy of self-knowledge and the necessity of community,” said Kim Fu. “The world opens up when we know who we are and are assured that we are not alone.”

Register for the Common Reading Program online

Kim Fu is a graduate of the University of British Columbia’s MFA program in creative writing. Her debut novel was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice and a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Selection, and it was long-listed for the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize.

The book is the winner of the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction, recognizing the work of authors in the LGBT community.

Michele Corbeil, first year transition program coordinator for the Student Success Centre, says this is the first novel covered by the program that has been written by a female author. The book touches on themes of mental health, a prominent topic and concern at campuses across the Country.

Students will be able to meet the author on Thursday, Sept. 3 and participate in a Gallery Walk from 10 a.m. to noon. Participants can contribute to the Reflection Activity Contest and Student Choice Awards by creating works of art in response to the novel.

The Common Reading Program takes place during the annual Welcome Week for incoming McMaster students.

It is an opportunity to share a reading experience with future classmates and friends. Students who enroll for this program participate in online discussions about the book and its themes as they relate to university life. This program is in partnership with the School of Graduate Studies and McMaster’s Alumni Association.

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