{"product_id":"names-have-been-changed-isbn-9798217176595","title":"Names Have Been Changed","description":"\u003cb\u003e**One of \u003ci\u003eDebutiful\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e's Most Anticipated Debut Books of 2026**\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eCatch Me If You Can \u003c\/i\u003emeets\u003ci\u003e Counterfeit\u003c\/i\u003e in this thrilling debut novel about Ophir—not her real name—who starts a confessional podcast about her years on the run around the globe, in an unforgettable story about the costs of freedom and the inescapable pull of home\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOphir’s tale begins in Singapore, where a petty crime spins out of control, estranging her from home and family. Resorting to false identities and forged passports (being mixed-race helps), she crisscrosses the globe from a Paris-themed hostess bar in Tokyo, to a bustling Chinese restaurant in London, to a snowbound mountain town in Colorado and beyond.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBroadcasting from an undisclosed location, Ophir is funny, prickly, tough, and vulnerable, entrancing her listeners with an irresistible, no-holds-barred recounting of not only her crimes (plural) but also her deepest secrets and regrets. Even as she moves seamlessly across class lines and continents, she grapples with the shock of relentless dislocation, a painful reexamination of identity, and a deep yearning for home. She tries to find comfort in new lovers and ill-gotten luxury goods, but she can’t help attracting trouble, and she soon faces an unexpected, high-stakes choice that could change her fate forever.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eNames Have Been Changed\u003c\/i\u003e is a stylish, fast-paced debut novel that reveals the complicated paths we take to build a life and a home. Filled with danger and twists, it’s ultimately a story about immigration and belonging—one unlike any you’ve seen before.\"I first read Balasingamchow’s book last July, and I have been thinking about it ever since. Ophir is one of the most memorable characters to jump off the page and the inevitable Hollywood adaptation will have actresses chomping at the bit to play this role... \u003ci\u003eNames Have Been Changed\u003c\/i\u003e is crackling with energy.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eAdam Vitcavage, \u003ci\u003eDebutiful\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I can’t remember the last time a character gripped me as hard as Ophir did. Exciting, sharp, at times fun and at other times heartbreaking, Ophir held my heart in her hands and I was only too happy to give it to her.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eJesse Q. Sutanto, \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"With style and verve, \u003ci\u003eNames Have Been Changed\u003c\/i\u003e puts a sparkling new spin on the migration narrative. Ophir’s gutsy and absorbing confessional will draw you in.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Lisa Ko, national bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eMemory Piece\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Leavers\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Names Have Been Changed\u003c\/i\u003e is a brave debut. It tells a migrant story, specifically a unique aspect of the migrant experience, namely a constant escape from the past in order to seek an existence on one's own terms. The novel is ingeniously conceived and written in an intelligent, fierce style. It's a fine contribution to migrant literature of our time.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Ha Jin, bestselling author of the National Book Award winner \u003ci\u003eWaiting\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A stylish, original, and unexpected debut. Reading \u003ci\u003eNames Have Been Changed \u003c\/i\u003efeels like sitting down for brunch with your coolest friend.\" —\u003cb\u003eGrace D. Li, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003ePortrait of a Thief\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"Names Have Been Changed\u003c\/i\u003e is a spiky, smart story about an itinerant Singaporean ex-con who yearns above all, to return. It's a book about displacement, friendship, diaspora, love, and criminal enterprise, but above all, the gasping need for connection, when home is out of reach.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eVanessa Chan, international bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Storm We Made\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eYu-Mei Balasingamchow\u003c\/b\u003e was born in Singapore and moved to Boston, where she was a bookseller at Papercuts Bookshop and where she teaches writing workshops at GrubStreet. Her short fiction has received a Pushcart Prize special mention and been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize. She has an MFA in creative writing from Boston University and has received grants from the Elizabeth George Foundation, Sewanee Writers Conference, and Singapore’s National Arts Council. \u003ci\u003eNames Have Been Changed\u003c\/i\u003e is her debut novel.","brand":"Tiny Reparations Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48233424945381,"sku":"NP9798217176595","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9798217176595.jpg?v=1767733448","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/names-have-been-changed-isbn-9798217176595","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}