Author Charles Yu explored the possibilities of meta fiction with wit and creative impact in his novel "Interior Chinatown," which won the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction. The book is also this year's 19th One Book, One Region selection for the southeastern Connecticut readership initiative.

Yu will appear appear Tuesday at the Garde Arts Center in New London.

In the novel, which unfolds in the form of a screenplay, a young, aspiring Asian American actor discovers the secret history of Chinatown and touchingly navigates the buried legacy of his family — all while adeptly critiquing external stereotyping and internalized racism that have defined the experience of Asian Americans for almost 200 years.

Yu will be joined by Ayako Takamori, assistant professor of East Asian Languages and Culture at Connecticut College, for an interactive Q&A session on stage. The free, in-person event will also be streamed at onebookoneregion.org. Questions may be submitted in advance to onebookoneregionct@gmail.com.

Charles Yu, One Book, One Region, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Garde Arts Center, 325 State St., New London; doors open at 6 p.m.; free, masks required along with proof of vaccination or documented negative PCR test within 72 hours; gardearts.org.