Join us for an engaging discussion with author Kevin Nguyen at Richmond Public Library! We’re honored to present Mỹ Documents as our 7th annual Read Up Richmond selection. This is a unique chance to hear directly from a respected writer, ask questions, and connect with others interested in the timely and thought-provoking issues raised in his book. Everyone is welcome—come be part of the conversation!  

Books will be available for purchase and signing, with special thanks to Fountain Bookstore. 

From the Publisher: 

Informed by real-life events, from Japanese incarceration to the Vietnam War and modern-day immigrant detention, Mỹ Documents gives us a version of reality only a few degrees away from our own. Moving and finely attuned to both the brutalities and mundanities of racism, Mỹ Documents is a strangely funny and touching portrait of American ambition, fear, and family. The story of the Nguyens is one of resilience and how we return to one another, and to ourselves, after tragedy. 

Kevin Nguyen is a celebrated author and editor known for his incisive, witty, and deeply resonant writing. He held prominent editorial roles at well-known publications such as GQ, The Verge, and Google Play Books. His debut novel, New Waves (2020), garnered critical acclaim for its exploration of friendship, grief, technology, and race. Mỹ Documents, his second novel and the 2025 Read Up Richmond book, is informed by real-life events, from Japanese incarceration to the Vietnam War and modern-day immigrant detention. The highly readable and accessible novel presents a version of reality only a few degrees away from our own. Moving and finely attuned to both the brutalities and mundanities of racism, Mỹ Documents is a strangely funny and touching portrait of American ambition, fear, and family. 

Emma Ito is the Director of Education at Virginia Humanities, where she is responsible for the development, coordination, and implementation of educational resources for K-12 students, college students, teachers, and lifelong learners. Prior to working at Virginia Humanities, Emma worked as an education and program specialist at the Library of Virginia, where she led an initiative to research and share Asian American history. Emma has also been an adjunct professor in the Virginia Commonwealth University Global Education Department and the University Honors College. She received her B.A. and M.A. in History at Virginia Commonwealth University, where her master's thesis was on the experiences of Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans in Virginia, with a focus on the time periods of Jim Crow and World War II. In her free time, Emma is an avid reader and bookstagrammer.   

Read Up Richmond is an annual event that challenges people to read courageously, listen thoughtfully, and connect meaningfully. This program is made possible through the generous support of the Richmond Public Library Foundation and the Friends of the Richmond Public Library.