About Thi Bui
Before You Die, Dammit
is a phrase I’ve had in my head for some time, probably in the early days of working on my book, The Best We Could Do, when it was just the seed of an idea and my life was pulled in a million directions, none of which seemed to be the book I so desperately wanted to write and draw.
In spite of all this, I did eventually finish that book and it became a big success and changed my life. It did not change, however, my tendency to bite off more than I can chew for book ideas. My second book, NOWHERELAND, has been tormenting me since 2018. It’s a big work of graphic nonfiction about ICE, immigrants, Asian Americans, in particular Southeast Asians, mass incarceration, and racial reckonings. I think 2026 is the year to finish it.