Free delivery on all orders above $30
Get 10% off all year round! Join Thryft Club
Get 10% off all year round and $10 off your next order! Join Thryft Club
Buy 3 Get Another Free On All Under S$10

Your cart

Your cart is empty

Check out these collections!

Bestselling Fiction
Bestselling Nonfiction
Bestselling Books for Children
Vintage and Rare Books
Vinyl Records
Women's Clothing
Men's Clothing

Stay in touch and win free books

Keep up with our latest sales and events, and receive
recommendations direct to your inbox. We'll only send the good stuff, promise!

By completing this form, you are signing up to receive our emails and can unsubscribe at any time

New

Native Speaker

by Chang-rae Lee
$8.90
Compare to estimated retail price: S$23.84  

The item you've got your eye on is secondhand. You probably already know that, but just in case!

The estimated retail price shown next to any listed item represents the first-hand prices we've seen elsewhere, or the estimated original retail price of a comparable item of the same quality, construction and material offered elsewhere in new condition.

Native Speaker
Native Speaker

Immigrant's quest for identity amid espionage.

If you've ever felt caught between two worlds, "Native Speaker" could resonate deeply with you. Chang-rae Lee crafts a narrative that not only explores the intricacies of cultural identity but does so through the lens of a spy thriller. Henry Park's struggles with his Korean heritage and American life, set against the richness of New York's diverse backdrop, create a story that's as much about finding your place in the world as it is about the espionage that drives the plot. It's a compelling read for anyone interested in the complexities of assimilation and identity.

  • Oregon Book Award for Fiction (1995)
  • American Book Award (1996)
  • PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel (1996)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.
New

Native Speaker

by Chang-rae Lee
$8.90
Compare to estimated retail price: S$23.84  

The item you've got your eye on is secondhand. You probably already know that, but just in case!

The estimated retail price shown next to any listed item represents the first-hand prices we've seen elsewhere, or the estimated original retail price of a comparable item of the same quality, construction and material offered elsewhere in new condition.

ISBN: 9781573225311
Authors: Chang-rae Lee
Publisher: Riverhead
Date of Publication: 1996-01-01
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: Literary Fiction, Contemporary
Related Topics: Literature, Classics, Asian Literature
Goodreads rating: 3.75
(rated by 8142 readers)

Special Offer

Buy 3, Get Another Free on All Items Under $10 Storewide

Discount applied automatically when you add them to your cart.

Description

In Native Speaker, author Chang-rae Lee introduces readers to Henry Park. Park has spent his entire life trying to become a true American—a native speaker. But even as the essence of his adopted country continues to elude him, his Korean heritage seems to drift further and further away. Park's harsh Korean upbringing has taught him to hide his emotions, to remember everything he learns, and most of all to feel an overwhelming sense of alienation. In other words, it has shaped him as a natural spy. But the very attributes that help him to excel in his profession put a strain on his marriage to his American wife and stand in the way of his coming to terms with his young son's death. When he is assigned to spy on a rising Korean-American politician, his very identity is tested, and he must figure out who he is amid not only the conflicts within himself but also within the ethnic and political tensions of the New York City streets. Native Speaker is a story of cultural alienation. It is about fathers and sons, about the desire to connect with the world rather than stand apart from it, about loyalty and betrayal, about the alien in all of us and who we finally are.
Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

Books in Like New Condition

This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Very Good Condition

This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Good Condition

We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

Find out more about our process here.

 

Immigrant's quest for identity amid espionage.

If you've ever felt caught between two worlds, "Native Speaker" could resonate deeply with you. Chang-rae Lee crafts a narrative that not only explores the intricacies of cultural identity but does so through the lens of a spy thriller. Henry Park's struggles with his Korean heritage and American life, set against the richness of New York's diverse backdrop, create a story that's as much about finding your place in the world as it is about the espionage that drives the plot. It's a compelling read for anyone interested in the complexities of assimilation and identity.

  • Oregon Book Award for Fiction (1995)
  • American Book Award (1996)
  • PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel (1996)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.