Stay True

A compelling memoir about friendship, tragedy, the quest for oneself, and the comfort that may be found in art, from staff writer Hua Hsu of the New Yorker.

Hua Hsu, who is eighteen years old, believes that Ken's obsession with Abercrombie & Fitch, Dave Matthews, and his fraternity stems from the fact that he is just like everyone else. Ken comes from a Japanese American family that has been in the country for many generations; for Hua, a Taiwanese immigrant who writes zines and frequents record stores in the Bay Area, Ken is mainstream and embodies everything that he defines himself against. The sole similarity between Hua and Ken is that, regardless of how they interact with it, none of them seems to fit into American society.

Nevertheless, Hua and Ken end up becoming friends in spite of Ken's initial misgivings. Their relationship is based on long drives down the California coast, late-night talks over smokes, and the typical highs and lows of college life. Not quite three years after their initial meeting, Ken is suddenly gone, slain in a carjacking, with violence and senselessness.

Hua started to write because he was determined to preserve his memories—the only thing left of one of his best pals. Since then, he has been working on a novel called Stay True. Stay True is a riveting memoir about growing up and traveling the globe in quest of purpose and connection. It is a coming-of-age tale that describes both the remarkable and the commonplace.