Hello, good people of the internet! You know what time it is. It's time to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Thi Bui.
Who are you?
I'm a writer, artist, and former public school teacher. I used to include being a parent in my description, but these days my son quietly does his own thing while I work too much or travel to promote my book.
What are you?
Ha! Do you ask that to bring back people's anger at getting asked that question growing up? On the rare occasion I get asked that question by people fishing for my ethnic origins, I look them in the eye and say, "Carbon-based."
Where are you?
At home in Berkeley, trying to get as many of my emails taken care of as possible while still in my pajamas.
Where are you from?
The places I've spent some formative years, the ones that stay with me, include New York City, Berkeley, Oakland, San Diego, the south of France (around Toulouse, not the Mediterranean), and of course Sài Gòn, where I was born.
What do you do?
I do comics for old people. Young people can read them too, but really, the things that worry me and end up in my work are questions like, why do we have borders and national identities? Why has my country (pick one, either one) been at war so much? How do survivors of war pass on their trauma? You know, not fun stuff. Kids are my antidote and my motivation to work hard, but I don't know that I'm very good at making work that appeals exactly to them.
What are you all about?
I am all about making things work with what you've got, but also about dreaming big and trying to imagine things that are missing into being real.
What makes you angry?
The Trump administration. I have not been this angry for a long time. I maybe haven't ever been as angry as I am now.
