Kim Liao’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Electric Literature, Lit Hub, The Rumpus, McSweeney’s, The Millions, Salon, Fourth River, Hippocampus, and others. A former Taiwan Fulbright Creative Research Scholar, her work has received support from the Vermont Studio Center, the Jentel Foundation, the Hambidge Center, the Anderson Center, and the Ragdale Foundation. She lives with her family near New York City and teaches writing to students of all ages.
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Description
In this astonishing story, Kim Liao skillfully unravels a family mystery through a blend of meticulous historical inquiry and vividly imagined reconstructions of the past. This work is not just an important contribution to Taiwanese history, but also a profound account of the wide-reaching personal sacrifices that resistance against authoritarianism entails.
— Shawna Yang Ryan, author of Green Island
From its astonishing opening lines, Where Every Ghost Has a Name grabbed me by the collar and never let me go. Both a poignant memoir and a riveting mystery, this is a deeply moving, meticulously researched debut
— Kirstin Chen, New York Times bestselling author of Counterfeit
In Where Every Ghost Has a Name: A Memoir of Taiwanese Independence, author Kim Liao takes us on her journey across the Pacific Ocean, from Long Island to Taiwan, in search of her exiled grandfather’s past. It recounts that history is never simple. Political dissidents are not the only ones caught up in turbulent times, but also the men, women, and children around them forced to be left behind. And silence is often the loudest voice that tells family stories. It narrates hardship and sacrifice but also the triumphs and strength of human agency to maintain a sense of purpose and identity even in the most impossible situation.
— Anru Lee, John Jay College, CUNY