NPR's Book of the Day 'Pick a Color' is a novel that takes place over a single day at a nail salon
Oct 13, 2025
Souvankham Thammavongsa, an acclaimed Canadian writer and debut novelist, shares insights from her new book, which unfolds over a single day in a nail salon. She explores Ning, the salon manager with a boxing background, drawing parallels between prizefighting and salon work. Thammavongsa discusses the loneliness of salon workers, often overlooked and unheard, and reflects on her own roots as a child born in a refugee camp. The conversation touches on the contrast between knowledge and intelligence, revealing deep truths about resilience and human connection.
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One Name, Many Workers
- Ning gives every worker the same name tag reading "Susan" to avoid replacing tags as staff turnover happens.
- She notices clients never react because they only care that the salon is ready to work.
Boxing Shapes Salon Perception
- Ning's boxing background shapes how she reads and protects space in the salon.
- She applies ring strategies like controlling the center line and constant protection to salon interactions.
Writer's Immersion Training
- Thammavongsa trained for a year and a half in boxing to capture the physical reality in Ning's memories.
- She also draws on her own regular visits to nail salons to observe workers' lives and conversations.
