Souvankham Thammavongsa is a Laotian-Canadian poet and author. In 2019, she won an O. Henry Award for her short story "Slingshot", and in 2020 her short story collection How to Pronounce Knife won the Giller Prize.
Original publication
2026
Average rating
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Opening Excerpt
From the storyI didn’t know what homework was. And since my parents had never gone to school themselves, they never asked me about it.
Story Vibe & Style Profile
Emotional Weight
3.4 / 5
Bittersweet
Narrative Pacing
1.9 / 5
Contemplative
Literary Style
1.2 / 5
Direct & Minimalist
Speculative / Reality
1.6 / 5
Realistic / Mimetic
Appearances
The New Yorker
The New Yorker October 2026 · Oct 1, 2026
About the Author
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