Twenty-One Years Young: Essays
Two decades of living is not nothing. It is everything we know.
In Twenty-One Years Young: Essays, author Amy Dong examines the uncertainty, absurdity, and beauty in growing up. This poignant collection of essays is unabashedly intimate, drawing the reader into Dong's life as if they were a close friend. She masterfully evokes humor, nostalgia, melancholy, and euphoria to create scenes that are as vivid as they are profound.
In this collection, you'll read essays such as "So It Goes" (inspired by the famous Vonnegut quip), in which Dong reflects on a near-death experience; "On Taking Care of Pets," a self-explanatory essay that provides the very best of belly laughs; and "The Man with the Magical Watch," in which Dong grapples with the pain-and joy-inherent to our limited existence.
These essays urge readers to consider the meaning of a good life and, further, how they will choose to spend the rest of their moments. Fans of Didion and Sedaris alike will find themselves at home with this collection for its unyielding insight into young adulthood, travel, and life itself.
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"Honest, refreshing and, at times, gut-wrenching . . . Dong's coming-of-age snapshots remind us that life is beautiful, no matter how messy growing up can be." - Vivian Giang, The New York Times
"Amy Dong's raw, poignant honesty is liberating. Readers of all ages will feel honored by the intimacy and truth-telling of this beautiful collection of essays." - Dolly Chugh, author of The Person You Mean to Be
"Which one of us has any how idea recent college grads think, what they aspire to, or how they plan to make their way in the world? . . . Luckily, for those curious as to their motivations and thought processes, Amy Dong has looked away from her screen just long enough to provide a glimpse into their headphone-sealed, hermetic world. Her humorous, thoughtful, and thought-provoking observations will introduce you to her generation and have you laughing from the start." - Mark Brennan, New York University
"Engaging, forthright essays that explore issues of identity and freedom as they search for elusive truths-by a writer wise beyond her years." - Robert DiYanni, author of One Hundred Great Essays and Handbook for the Humanities
"Timeless. A must read for anyone reflecting on or navigating adulthood. Through her writing, Dong inspires us to be more vulnerable, and therefore, more real." - Priyanka Surio, author of Third Culture Kids of the World
"Dong's lived experience illuminates the particularities of what it means to be human. The angst, agony, joy and exhilaration of growing up." - Dr. Reima Shakeir, author of Bedtime Stories with Qaddafi
"Amy Dong's luminous essays strongly suggest that 'youth is not wasted on the young.' She brings a spirit of inquiry-the essence of the essay form-and rich detail to the encounters and attachments that she renders well before they have settled into memory." - Sharon Friedman, New York University
