Japanese-American playwright Leah Nanako Winkler has made quite the impression with her work. Dubbed a "distinctive new voice" by The New York Times, Winkler has been lauded for many of her works including Kentucky, Two Mile Hallow, and more. Her darkly provocative audio play, Nevada-Tan, explores how an American student’s obsession with Columbine leads him to explore a similar case in Japan, with unsettling consequences. The play was commissioned by the Audible Emerging Playwrights Fund and stars performers including Steven Boyer, Tiffany Villarin, and Katie Lee.
In addition to writing award-winning plays, Winkler enjoys listening to standout memoirs of mesmerizing people. Here are some of her favorites right now.
A raw, hilarious, devastating memoir that breaks stereotype after stereotype of Tiger moms, model minorities, and Asian families. Lindsay grew up being taught by her family that mental illness didn't exist and all psychotic breaks were side effects of being possessed by the woo-woo. I was inspired by Lindsay's story of overcoming her tumultuous past to become a writer—and I think you will be too.
If you're a millennial who came of age in the early 2000s like me, you'll appreciate how juicy this book, about all the pop stars Jessica Simpson encountered in the height of her career, really is. She goes in on her feelings towards her fellow child stars she came up with, her reality show, her divorce, and most importantly, all the guys she dated in its aftermath and how they treated her. This listen was like candy.
I've been in NYC for over 15 years—and this year I've missed it while living in it. This first-person account of Anna Delvey is not only a fun and entertaining inside look at being friends with one of the city's most infamous scam artists—it feels like spending a fever dream of a night at all the hotspots of the late 2010s. A great binge-listen when you want to go out and party but can't.
Mariah Carey's autobiography was, as predicted, entertaining and juicy. I also found her to be ahead of her time when it comes to insights about biracial identity. Would recommend on a long drive.
Margaret is a legend and an icon who smashed open the door for Asian Americans aspiring for a career in entertainment—and this recording had me crying with laughter. If you need to brighten up your day, your week, your month—Cho will do the trick.
