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Sequoia Nagamatsu

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

January 19, 1982

Website

http://sequoianagamatsu.com

Twitter

sequoian

Genre

Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Influences

Haruki Murakami, Kelly Link, Italo Calvino, J.G. Ballard, Jonathan Let ...more

Member Since

October 2010

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/sequoianagamatsu

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SEQUOIA NAGAMATSU is the author of the National Bestselling novel, HOW HIGH WE GO IN THE DARK (2022), a New York Times Editors’ Choice, and the story collection, WHERE WE GO WHEN ALL WE WERE IS GONE (2016). His work has appeared in publications such as Conjunctions, The Southern Review, ZYZZYVA, Tin House, Iowa Review, Lightspeed Magazine, and One World: A Global Anthology of Short Stories, and has been listed as notable in Best American Non-Required Reading and the Best Horror of the Year.

Other honors include a fellowship from the Bread Loaf Writers Conference and shortlist inclusions for The Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize, the Ursula K Le Guin Prize, and the Barnes & Noble Discover Prize, as well as long list inclusions for the Andrew C ...more

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Combine Editions
Sequoia Nagamatsu’s books

Average rating: 3.82 · 71,030 ratings · 12,125 reviews · 12 distinct works • Similar authors

	How High We Go in the Dark 3.82 avg rating — 68,882 ratings — published 2022 — 37 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone 3.72 avg rating — 1,464 ratings — published 2016 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	One World: A Global Anthology of Short Stories by Chris Brazier (Editor), Jhumpa Lahiri (Contributor), Chika Unigwe (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 3.97 avg rating — 677 ratings — published 2009 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lightspeed Magazine, January 2015 by John Joseph Adams (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Theodora Goss (Goodreads Author), Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam (Goodreads Author) 3.56 avg rating — 55 ratings — published 2012	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Pig Son 4.58 avg rating — 31 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Fairy Tale Review, The Mauve Issue (The Fairy Tale Review #11) by Kate Bernheimer (Editor), Thomas Mira y Lopez (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Matt Bell (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 4.08 avg rating — 26 ratings — published 2015 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lightspeed Magazine, Issue 137 (October 2021) by John Joseph Adams (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Gene Doucette (Goodreads Author), Rich Larson (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 17 ratings — published 2021 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Songs of Your Decay (A Short Story) 4.63 avg rating — 8 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Bat City Review it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Girl Zero 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2015	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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4 posts
Sequoia Nagamatsu's Blog

Summer Giveaway begins July 4th

Win a signed copy of Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone, stories inspired by Japanese folklore and pop culture.
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

“Sequoia Nagamatsu’s universe is one in which modern Japan and its ancient folklore play in the same delightful puddle. Creepy, unnerving, and full of heart, these tales of love and demons, death and Godzilla, loss and possibility, will creep into Read more of this blog post »

3 likes · Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on June 27, 2016 05:43 • Tags: fabulism, fiction, giveaway, japan, magical-realism, story-collection

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It’s May! And in the U.S. that means it’s AAPI Heritage Month, dedicated to celebrating the culture, history, and contributions of Asian...

Sequoia is Currently Reading

Sequoia is currently reading

The Actual Star

by Monica Byrne (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Nov 18, 2021 05:59AM

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Sequoia’s Recent Updates

Sequoia wants to read Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 16, 2025 10:16AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Sequoia rated a book it was amazing Waterline by Aram Mrjoian (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This book may nod at the Armenian Genocide, but perhaps more notably this book takes the history of this event, the tales, pain, and truth of a patriarch who swam toward freedom and another life and embraces the waves and ripples from a swim toward s ...more
Jul 16, 2025 10:00AM · 6 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Waterline by Aram Mrjoian. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Waterline by Aram Mrjoian <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Sequoia and 198 other people liked Katie Colson's review of How High We Go in the Dark: "I have never enjoyed a short story collection until now. And I didn't just enjoy it. I ADORED it. I talked everyone's ear off about this for a week while reading it. I begged other's to read it. As I'm begging you to read it. It's truly phenomenal. Wa" Read more of this review »
Apr 04, 2025 02:19PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Sequoia rated a book it was amazing In Universes by Emet North (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 02, 2024 07:55PM · 7 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of In Universes by Emet North. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — In Universes by Emet North <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Sequoia rated a book it was amazing What Grows in the Dark by Jaq Evans (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 02, 2024 07:53PM · 3 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of What Grows in the Dark by Jaq Evans. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — What Grows in the Dark by Jaq Evans <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Sequoia rated a book it was amazing We Lived on the Horizon by Erika Swyler (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Kaleidoscopic and incisive in its themes, We Lived on the Horizon detonates the imperfect symbiosis between A.I. and what it means to be human. From class warfare and systems of oppression to reflections on gender and inherited privilege, Swyler burr ...more
Oct 02, 2024 07:49PM · 11 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of We Lived on the Horizon by Erika Swyler. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — We Lived on the Horizon by Erika Swyler <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Sequoia liked an answer about How High We Go in the Dark: Has anyone discovered a character map for this story? I've just finished the book and am still wrapping my head around all the connections (sometimes subtly) shared throughout the book and at the very end. https://indd.adobe.com/view/a7759820-... Kala
Aug 25, 2024 04:40PM
Sequoia rated a book it was amazing Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 08, 2024 08:49AM · 23 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Sequoia's books…

Quotes by Sequoia Nagamatsu (?)

“I saw a civilization that could destroy itself before it even reached the nearest star.”
― Sequoia Nagamatsu, How High We Go in the Dark

tags: civilization, star

20 likes

“Opportunities are like little seeds floating in the wind. Your life is there. Some people have a big net to collect them all. Other people need to pray that the right seeds, the best ones, make their way to them with just enough bad ones to appreciate the good.”
― Sequoia Nagamatsu, How High We Go in the Dark

18 likes

“People have forgotten how to care for each other, for themselves. We can’t expect them to care about the world if they don’t care about what’s in front of them,”
― Sequoia Nagamatsu, How High We Go in the Dark

16 likes

See all Sequoia Nagamatsu's quotes »

Polls

What book would you like to read for our October 2022 Group Read? The theme is Moon.

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
Classic, Mystery, Victorian

21 votes 22.3%

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Urban Fantasy, Middle Grade

16 votes 17.0%

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
YA Fantasy, Mythology, Romance

13 votes 13.8%

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
YA Fantasy, Contemporary, Tearjerker

9 votes 9.6%

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
YA Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Fairy Tale Retelling

8 votes 8.5%

The Last of the Moon Girls by Barbara Davis
Mystery, Magical Realism, Family

7 votes 7.4%

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
Magical Realism, Small Town Romance

7 votes 7.4%

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
Sci-Fi, Dystopia, Plaque

6 votes 6.4%

Moon Above, Moon Below by William Peter Grasso
Historical Fiction, WW2, Adventure

4 votes 4.3%

The Oceanography of the Moon by Glendy Vanderah
Contemporary Romance, Magical Realism

3 votes 3.2%

94 total votes

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Book Giveaways: Stories Inspired by Japanese Folklore & Pop Culture	1	7	Apr 17, 2016 06:20AM
Advanced Copies f...: Stories Inspired by Japanese Folklore & Pop Culture	1	11	Apr 17, 2016 06:22AM
Book Junkies: Stories inspired by Japanese Folklore & Pop Culture - "Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone"	1	5	Apr 17, 2016 06:23AM
Apocalypse Whenever: June: Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone by Sequoia Nagamatsu	28	71	Jul 02, 2016 09:20PM
Apocalypse Whenever: 2016 Book Giveaway Signups (read comment #1 to get started) [CLOSED]	80	363	Dec 15, 2016 02:45PM
Apocalypse Whenever: 2018 Book Club, Part 1 (Closed)	217	371	May 12, 2018 08:38AM
Ultimate Popsugar...: Finding BIPOC authors to fill the 2022 categories	38	810	Dec 15, 2021 04:45AM
2025 Reading Chal...: Joy's Gems: 200 in 2022	11	194	Jan 16, 2022 06:32PM

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Sequoia’s Quotes

“Let us suppose that someone is writing a story. From the world of conventional signs he takes an azalea bush, plants it in a pleasant park. He takes a gold pocket watch from the world of conventional signs and places it under the azalea bush. He takes from the same rich source a handsome thief and a chastity belt, places the thief in the chastity belt and lays him tenderly under the azalea, not neglecting to wind the gold pocket watch so that its ticking will, at length, awaken the now-sleeping thief. From the Sarah Lawrence campus he borrows a pair of seniors, Jacqueline and Jemima, and sets them to walking in the vicinity of the azalea bush and the handsome, chaste thief. Jacqueline and Jemima have just failed the Graduate Record Examination and are cursing God in colorful Sarah Lawrence language. What happens next? Of course, I don't know.”
― Donald Barthelme, Not-Knowing: The Essays and Interviews of Donald Barthelme

tags: not-knowing

4 likes