Press & Events
Esmé Weijun Wang has been featured and mentioned in a number of publications and podcasts/radio, including the New York Times, the New Yorker Online, the Washington Post, BBC Ideas, PBS Newshour, and Weekend Edition (NPR). She has also been heard on KCRW’s UnFictional, WNYC, and NPR’s Weekend Update. For media requests, please send an email to publicity@esmewang.com. To invite Esmé to come speak at your event, please contact Trinity Ray at trinity@tuesdayagency.com.
MEDIA BIO
Esmé Weijun Wang is the author of the New York Times-bestselling essay collection The Collected Schizophrenias and the novel The Border of Paradise, which was one of NPR's Best Books of 2016. She won the Graywolf Nonfiction Prize (2016), was named by Granta as one of the “Best of Young American Novelists” in their decennial list (2017), received a 2018 Whiting Award, and was anthologized in Best American Short Stories 2018. Born in the Midwest to Taiwanese parents, Esmé lives in San Francisco. She is the founder of The Unexpected Shape Writing Academy for ambitious writers living with limitations, and can be found at esmewang.com
IN CONVERSATION ONSTAGE AT RICHARDSON AUDITORIUM, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY (CREDIT: B. DOWNING)
Representation
LITERARY AGENT
JIN AUH, THE WYLIE AGENCY
JAUH@WYLIEAGENCY.COM
ASSISTANT
CHLOE O'NEILL
CHLOE@ESMEWANG.COM
SPEAKING REPRESENTATION
Trinity Ray, The Tuesday Agency
trinity@tuesdayagency.com
Office: 319-338-7080 • Mobile: 319-400-9031
PUBLICITY
publicity@esmewang.com
SELECT PRESS
- Esmé Weijun Wang Wins Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize (Graywolf)
- The Rumpus Interview with Esmé Weijun Wang (The Rumpus)
- 5 Women of Color Who Are Changing the World for the Better (BookRiot)
- Best of Young American Novelists 3, Introduction (Granta)
- Partying with a New Generation of the Best Young American Novelists (LitHub)
- Granta: Best of Young American Novelists, Third Edition (Library Journal)
- Zines Taught Esmé Weijun Wang About Herself (The Cut)
- On Living the Path of the Seeker: Esmé Weijun Wang in Conversation with Jeanna Kadlec (Astrology for Writers)
ONLINE & PRINT
- Episode VII: An Interview with Esmé Wang, from the Writers on Mental Health series (0s&1s Reads)
- “Haunting, Beautifully Crafted” Essay by a Woman Who Believes She Is Dead (Knight Science Journalism at MIT)
- #NoShame in Mental Illness: A Reading List (Longreads)
- Esmé Weijun Wang on Success, Mental Illness, and Her Must-Read Debut Novel ‘The Border of Paradise” (Fusion)
- First-Time Author Overcomes Myriad Ailments and Still Finds Time to Help Others (New York Times)
- An Interview with Esmé Weijun Wang (Bookslut)
- Blank, White, Spaces: An Interview with Esmé Weijun Wang (Asian American Writers’ Workshop)
- The Inheritance of Trauma: Q&A with Adrienne Celt & Esmé Weijun Wang (ZYZZYVA)
- 9 Women Writers Who Are Breaking New Nonfiction Territory (Bustle)
PODCAST, RADIO, & TV
- The Lively Show
- Raise Your Hand, Say Yes
- The Unmistakable Creative Podcast: Rewriting Our Narratives of Brokenness
- Real Talk Radio with Nicole Antoinette
- UnFictional (KCRW)
- Weekend Edition (NPR)
- Late Night Debut
- Dawson’s Creek with Esmé Weijun Wang (Mad Chat)
- Prioritizing Compliments Over Criticism (PBS News Hour)
- The Way We Live Now with Dani Shapiro (Episode 10)
- You, Me, Empathy
- Milestones, Change, & Celebration with Esmé Weijun Wang (Real Talk Radio Podcast)
- Stanford grad shares misdiagnosis story to help others with mental illness (TODAY Show)
- Why Are Dads? Blue Valentine with Esmé Weijun Wang
- ”Take the Big Swing” with Esmé Weijun Wang and Brandon Taylor
- The Creativity Habit
- WFMA (Episode 7)
- Keep the Channel Open
- Asian Americans in the Literary World (APEX Express)
- Real Talk Radio with Nicole Antoinette (2nd time)
- Call Your Girlfriend
- Amanpour & Company (PBS/CNN International) (TV)
- Re-thinking Mental Health: Breaking the Taboo Around Schizophrenia (BBC)
- The Maris Review Podcast (Episode 50)
- Esmé Weijun Wang on the Physical and Visceral Act of Writing (Thresholds Podcast)
- Conjuring Self-Honoring Ambition feat. Esmé Weijun Wang (Mind Witchery)
SELECT EVENTS
2020
- February 7 – 10: Esmé Weijun Wang at the Tin House Winter Workshop, facilitating the nonfiction workshop alongside T Kira Madden and Wendy C. Ortiz (Newport, OR)
- August 10: Molly Wizenberg presents “The Fixed Stars,” with Esmé Weijun Wang with Green Apple Books
- August 14: Akwaeke Emezi presents “The Death of Vivek Oji,” with Esmé Weijun Wang with The Elliott Bay Book Company
- September 29: Marilynne Robinson presents “Jack,” with Esmé Weijun Wang with Community Bookstore (online event)
- October 20: The Powerhouse Arena presents Virtual Paperback Launch: Make It Scream, Make It Burn by Leslie Jamison with Lynn Steger Strong, Andre Perry, Gregory Pardlo, and Esmé Weijun Wang (online event)
2021
- Jan 19: Debutiful & Write or Die Tribe Present a Reading of New, Unpublished, and Unpolished Work Benefiting the Okra Project (7:30 PM EST), with Esmé Weijun Wang, R.O. Kwon, and Karan Mahajan (admission: $5 donation)
- September 23: Chanel Miller in Conversation with Esmé Weijun Wang at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco (6:30 PM PST)
- November 4: Keynote in partnership with Princeton University Public Lectures at the Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University (6 PM EST) (information)
2022
- An Evening with Esmé Weijun Wang (April 13, 2023 at 5:00pm) (online)
- An Evening with Esmé Weijun Wang (April 17, 2023 at 7:00pm) at the Wisconsin Union Theater in Madison, WI
- Panel discussion at the Radcliffe Institute (April 28, 2023) in Cambridge, MA
- 2023 Women's Mental Health Conference (April 29, 2023) in New Haven, CT
- Duolingo Truth & Triumph Speaker Series: A Conversation with Esmé Weijun Wang (May 9, 2023) (online)
- R.F. Kuang for Yellowface, in conversation with Esmé Weijun Wang (May 13, 2023) at Haymarket Theater, Palo Alto, CA
2023
- Esmé Weijun Wang (Friday, March 18, 2022 at 7:00pm) hosted at San José State University Student Union Theatre. Free admission
- Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival: Writers Craft Session. Friday, March 25, 10 – 11:15am & Memories are Made of This. Sunday, March 27, 10 – 11:15am (Literary Discussion)
- Ingrid Rojas Contreras with Esmé Weijun Wang (Monday, July 18, 2022 at 6pm) at City Lights Bookstore
- Portland Book Festival, Mean Baby: Selma Blair with Esmé Weijun Wang. Saturday, November 5 at 10:00 am PDT
illustration by Julia Leister
Here are a variety of media bios that you and your publication/organization can use.
SHORTER BIO:
Esmé Weijun Wang is the author of the New York Times-bestselling essay collection The Collected Schizophrenias and the novel The Border of Paradise. Born in the Midwest to Taiwanese parents, Esmé lives in San Francisco, and can be found at esmewang.com.
LONGER BIO:
Esmé Weijun Wang is the author of the New York Times-bestselling essay collection The Collected Schizophrenias and the novel The Border of Paradise, which was one of NPR's Best Books of 2016. She won the Graywolf Nonfiction Prize (2016), was named by Granta as one of the “Best of Young American Novelists” in their decennial list (2017), received a 2018 Whiting Award, and was anthologized in Best American Short Stories 2018. Born in the Midwest to Taiwanese parents, Esmé lives in San Francisco. She is the founder of The Unexpected Shape Writing Academy for ambitious writers living with limitations, and can be found at esmewang.com
MEDIA PHOTOGRAPHS—
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Credit: Esmé Weijun Wang
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Credit: Esmé Weijun Wang
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Credit: Esmé Weijun Wang
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Credit: Esmé Weijun Wang
