Min Jin Lee

Why do you perceive it as floundering?

In 2017, right after I became a finalist for the National Book Award, that year my husband had lost his job.

He got a job later on, but it took almost a year.

So he lost his job on the day of my publication of Pachinko, February 2017.

And when I became a finalist for the National Book Award, he still hadn't gotten a new job.

And at that point, it had been, I guess, nine months.

And we were financially really vulnerable and my son had gone to college and we couldn't qualify for financial aid because we hadn't applied in time.

And really at that moment, I remember thinking, oh, we don't have health insurance because Cobra has run out and I need to get a job.

And I tried to get a position somewhere that month.

And I remember the person I interviewed with was so cruel to me.

Like it was, you know, I was late 40s, right?

Almost 50 at that point.

And here I am applying for a job.

And you're a National Book Award finalist.

Right.

But I don't have a terminal degree.

So I wasn't an English major.

I don't have an MFA.

I don't have a PhD.

And they looked at me as if I really had no business being across the desk from them.