Free Food for Millionaires

By: Min Jin Lee

Narrated by: Jennifer Sun Bell

From the New York Times bestselling author of Pachinko, a "mesmerizing" novel about the Korean-American daughter of first-generation immigrants striving to join Manhattan's inner circle (USA Today).

Casey Han is a strong-willed, Queens-bred daughter of Korean immigrants immersed in a glamorous Manhattan lifestyle she can't afford. When a chance encounter with an old friend lands her a new opportunity, she's determined to carve a space for herself in a glittering world of privilege, power, and wealth–but at what cost?

Set in a city where millionaires scramble for free lunches that the poor are too proud to accept, this epic of love, greed, and ambition is a compelling portrait of intergenerational strife, immigrant struggle, and social and economic mobility. Free Food for Millionaires exposes the intricate layers of a community clinging to its old ways in a city packed with haves and have-nots.

Includes a Reading Group Guide.

Critic reviews

"Mesmerizing...Not since Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake has an author so exquisitely evoked what it's like to be an immigrant."—--USA Today

"This big, beguiling book has all the distinguishing marks of a Great American novel."—--The Times (London)

"Lee has updated the Victorian novel of progress to a postmodern, postfeminist world and imagined a character whose circumstances feel universal."—--Chicago Tribune

Interesting read, entertaining.

I very much enjoyed this story. It allowed me a peek into Korean culture, and what it’s like to be a Korean-American. The story held my attention throughout. Kudos to the Narrator Jennifer Sun Bell who executed a flawless performance. I have no hesitation in recommending this book to my friends.

believable melodrama

Compelling, likable characters if a bit two-dimensional. What i most appreciate about this work is how it wrestles with authentic experience and all its complicated ambivalences, conflicts, fetishes, disavowals, longings, and lies. Im sorry to say i could barely tolerate the voice actor’s performance. fortunately, the story and writing were strong enough to pull me through.

The reader has a most annoying sing song for such a long book

I loved Pachinko, so had very high expectations for this book. I think this is an inferior novel, but enjoyable, with many endearing characters and variant interesting for those of us who, like me, no little about Korean Americans.

But I found the reader’s intonation quite irritating - was about to switch to reading and quit listening to the audiobook many times throughout.

Amazing

Loved this book and shows you a lot about American Korean culture. Fabulous story. I highly recommend it.

Engrossing multi-generation novel

I chose this novel because I enjoyed Pachinko by the same author. This novel is about the lives of Korean immigrants and their children in the 90’s, but, as the author’s post script points out, it is a story about our country and our lives as immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Beyond that it is a well-told story about peoples’ struggles to live and make choices. Well worth a credit!