Which Side Are You On

“This book! In Ryan Lee Wong's hard-hitting and witty novel, two generations of Asian American political activists negotiate their relationships with movements, history, L.A., and one another. Wong handles his narrator's earnestness with understated brilliance—especially when he skewers that very same sincerity. Sure to spark conversations.” —YZ Chin, Entertainment Weekly

"Blasting easily woke platitudes, this honest, hilarious, and deeply healing novel gets at the heartbreaking core of building connections between families and friends, and solidarities within and between racial communities. For years I've been waiting for a novel like Ryan Lee Wong's Which Side Are You On, and I urge everyone to read it. It is an astonishing debut." —Cathy Park Hong, author of Minor Feelings

"Sharp, fast-moving, and often hilarious, Which Side Are You On is a must-read: a story of Asian American relationships—familial, intergenerational, and otherwise—through the lens of Black-Asian histories, community organizing, and radical politics." —Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers

"Salty, funny, angry, and heartbreaking, Which Side Are You On synthesizes the struggles of a family that has been working and hoping for a better world for two, maybe three, generations, and in the process, renews our sense of the histories involved—American history, Korean American history, Black history, Los Angeles history. This is a stunning debut, but also a novel I didn't know I was waiting for." —Alexander Chee, author of How to Write an Autobiographical Novel

"With terrific, original use of language; a flawed, highly sympathetic protagonist; a fast pace; and a tone that is at once irreverent and sober, Which Side Are You On offers unusual insight into Asian-Black dynamics and the fight for racial justice in America. Ryan Lee Wong is an impactful new voice." —Bisi Adjapon, author of The Teller of Secrets

"Which Side Are You On is a sharp and refreshing debut that tenderly plumbs the depths and angst of coming of age. In Reed, we find a narrator seeking meaning in radical politics, and finding more about his family and himself in the search than he knew was possible." —Naomi Jackson, author of The Star Side of Bird Hill

"Ryan Lee Wong’s debut is a poignant reminder of that internal journey we’re all on: of wanting to belong and achieve, whether it’s as an activist, a son or a daughter, or as a member of your chosen community. Reed’s whirlwind journey through Los Angeles and K-Town towards that growth and understanding will also challenge readers to consider how much we can still learn, from the people and places we already think we know best.” —Celeste Pewter