“In this beautiful, unsettling novel, Simon Han captures the state of being awake and yet asleep, of belonging and yet not, of waiting for the moment when the world opens up. With the turn of a crystalline sentence, he reveals how fragile we are, and what it takes to survive. An unbelievable debut.” —Kevin Wilson, author of Nothing to See Here and The Family Fang
“Absolutely luminous. Han weaves the transience of suburbia between the highs and lows of a family saga, illustrating what a parent owes a child, what a child owes their parents, and what simply cannot be repaid. His novel shocks, awes, and delights.” —Bryan Washington, author of Memorial and Lot
“Simon Han’s suburban Dallas is every bit as haunting, and haunted, as John Cheever’s Westchester County, illuminating the liminal spaces between American Dream and American nightmare. At the end of every quiet cul-de-sac lie equal parts beauty and madness.” —Tony Earley, author of Jim the Boy
and Mr. Tall
“In intricately elegant prose, Simon Han explores
the desire to belong—to a marriage, a family, a
community, a country. Nights When Nothing
Happened is about how we use words and silences
to connect and wound, and how we make sacrifices
for those we love. It broke my heart and gave me hope,
all at the same time.” —Angie Kim, author of Miracle Creek
“In his beautifully written debut novel, Simon Han takes
a keen look at immigration, family and love. Insightful and poignant.” —Jean Kwok, author of Searching for Sylvie Lee
“An intimate and nuanced portrait of a family trying to find their way
in a new country. With a sharp eye and a finely tuned ear, Simon Han tells
a story that is by turns achingly tender and emotionally devastating. A stunning debut
that will stay with me.” —Charles Yu, author of Interior Chinatown and How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe