Souvankham Thammavongsa’s upcoming novel, Pick a Color, is set to be released soon, and readers are eager to get their hands on it. This novel follows her successful 2020 short story collection, How to Pronounce Knife, which gained considerable acclaim.
Pick a Color tells the story of Ning, a retired boxer who now works in a nail salon under the name Susan. To those around her, she seems like just another worker, but deep inside, she carries the weight of her past and the paths she didn’t choose. The book explores her struggles and reveals a rich inner life that remains hidden from her colleagues.
Set over the course of a single summer day, the novel delves into Ning’s two identities—one as a manicurist and the other as a thoughtful observer of her own life. This story brings to light themes of identity, social class, and privilege.
Thammavongsa’s earlier work was celebrated and even won the 2020 Giller Prize. Her writing often reflects her experiences as a child who immigrated to Canada, drawing from her family’s background as Laotian refugees. She aims to present a broader view of what it means to be an immigrant, moving beyond the often sad and tragic narratives typically associated with such experiences.
In her own words, Thammavongsa seeks to highlight the full range of emotions and experiences that people can feel, not just those linked to struggle and suffering. Her approach adds depth and variety to the representation of immigrant life.
Pick a Color is scheduled to be published on September 30 and is currently available for preorder at various bookstores.
