The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu

Tom Wentao Lin
Born	Template:Birth year and age Beijing, China
Occupation	Novelist
Years active	2021–present
Notable work	The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu

Tom Wentao Lin (born around 1996) is a novelist from the United States. His first novel, The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu, which is a Western centered on a Chinese American outlaw, was published in 2021 by Little, Brown and Company and earned the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.

Early life and education

Originally from Beijing, China, Lin relocated to Flushing, Queens, New York City when he was four years old. He completed his undergraduate studies at Pomona College and, as of 2021, is engaged in doctoral studies in English at the University of California, Davis.

Career

Released on June 1, 2021, by Little, Brown and Company, Lin's debut work The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu combines elements of the Western genre with supernatural themes. Set during the 1860s, the story follows a Chinese American assassin on a quest for vengeance after railroad magnates abduct his partner and compel him to aid in constructing the Central Pacific Railroad. The novel has been praised for subverting traditional Western narratives that focus on white protagonists and for its exploration of identity-related issues. Lin distinguished himself as the youngest author to receive the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.

Works

• The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu (Little, Brown and Company, June 1, 2021)