Chang-Rae Lee mines personal history for new novel 'A Tender Age'

WBUR

Published August 11, 2026 at 12:10 PM EDT

The cover of "A Tender Age" beside Chang-Rae Lee. (Courtesy of Michelle Lee)

Chang-rae Lee‘s new book, “A Tender Age,” centers around 10-year-old Korean American Jeon-Gi, who navigates an eventful summer at a Korean church camp.

Host Scott Tong speaks with Lee about the book, which Lee says drew on stories from his own childhood.

Book excerpt: ‘A Tender Age’

By Chang-rae Lee

Excerpted from “A Tender Age” by Chang-rae Lee. Copyright © 2026 by Chang-rae Lee. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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