Reading order#
| # |
Title |
Published |
Author |
Buy on Amazon |
| 1 |
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers |
2005 |
Yiyun Li |
Buy |
| 2 |
Gold Boy, Emerald Girl |
2010 |
Yiyun Li |
Buy |
| 3 |
Wednesday’s Child |
2023 |
Yiyun Li |
Buy |
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers (2005) launched Yiyun Li’s career with stories about Chinese characters facing isolation, political pressure, and the gulf between generations. The collection won the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. Gold Boy, Emerald Girl (2010) explores similar terrain with stories set between China and America.
Wednesday’s Child (2023) is her most recent collection, continuing her examination of solitary lives and quiet grief.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books are in the Yiyun Li Collections series?
There are three books in the Yiyun Li Collections series, published between 2005 and 2023.
What is the first book in the Yiyun Li Collections series?
The first book in the Yiyun Li Collections series is A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, published in 2005.
What are Yiyun Li's short story collections about?
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers (2005) won the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award and features stories about Chinese and Chinese-American characters navigating cultural displacement. Gold Boy, Emerald Girl (2010) continues these themes. Wednesday’s Child (2023) is her most recent collection.