LS: The research. Lisa See is the best selling Chinese-American writer of such popular books as Dreams of Joy, Shanghai Girls and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, the latter made into a 2011 film for Fox Searchlight.Using such literary vehicles as family epics and murder mysteries, See’s books are so painstakingly accurate in their depictions of Chinese and Chinese-American history, tradition and … The history of the tea was so fascinating—and it tasted so remarkable—that I knew I needed to write about it. In two separate interviews, Lisa See talks about Peony in Love (2007) and Shanghai Girls (2009).. LS: No nicknames, but my great-uncle Bennie, who was pretty hard of hearing, used to shout at me, “I’m gonna put you in trashcan.” That really scared me even though I knew he didn’t really mean it. Browse more videos. That part has nothing to do with the book. Lisa See interview with Yvonne Yorke The Miami Book Fair, founded in 1984, has evolved into the one of the top literary festivals in the country. Lisa See and Yun Mija, one of the sea women of Jeju Island, South Korea /Photo: Courtesy Lisa See. An Interview with Lisa See. ED: When working on a novel about how much time would you say goes into it from start to finish? Interview: Lisa See. Contact Us I attended this eight-day event this past November where more than 500 notable authors from around the world – speaking English, Spanish, French and Haitian Creole, read and discussed their latest work. The opera was revolutionary in its time, because it depicted a young woman choosing her own path. In the end, her lover brings her back to life. Over the last thirty years she has developed a successful niche for her writing. "I'd been travelling for about two years and woke up one morning and said to myself, "This is the way it should be. On a recent visit to L.A.'s Chinatown, she discovered that the community in which she grew up is already changing, with shops and buildings closing or being demolished. Since then Lisa has written several more compelling historical fiction books, the latest being The Tea … LS: I’ll quote the Yao ethnic-minority aphorism that I used in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: Obey, obey, obey, then do what you want. I believe in the wisdom of our elders and that they should be treated with respect. Privacy Policy About Editorial Notes February 7, 2013. Well. These well-educated but sheltered girls who died in the name of love intrigued See. In many ways, the writing is the least time-consuming part of the task. Even if the girls were allowed outside the "inner chambers" of their homes, the disfiguration caused by their bound feet—an indication of good breeding and wealth that rendered women unable to do the hard work that should be left to servants—made it impossible for them to travel far. "They never met their husbands. 1 month ago Interview with Lisa See Author Lisa See has led a remarkable life in tea. Certain parts of my body are being pulled by gravity no matter how much exercise I do. ED: All of your books are rich with history and tradition. Lisa See interview, "Dreams of Joy" Guy Christensen. I attended this eight-day event this past November where more than 500 notable authors from around the world – speaking English, Spanish, French and Haitian Creole, read and discussed their latest work. ED: Your much anticipated work, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, is set to release on March 21st; what inspired you to write this story? Lisa See współpracowała rówież z tygodnikiem literackim „Publishers Weekly”, obecnie pisuje dla „Vogue”, „Self” i „More”. • Did you ever have a nickname growing up that you absolutely hated, and what was it? • Posted by eadavisblog January 27, 2017. Bestselling novelist Lisa See’s Los Angeles roots go back five generations – the Chinese branch of her biracial family has been involved in 100 years of Chinatown’s history. In the film, Wayne Wang, the director, hired nu shu experts, so there is a scene where you can actually hear what nu shu sounded like when it was sung. What tradition would you say you value you the most (or like) and which do least value (or dislike)? The opera tells the story of Liniang, a young woman who meets her lover in a dream, and upon awakening is so lovesick that she dies of a broken heart. Good morning, and welcome to the L.A. Times Book Club newsletter. "Her heart is always in the right place but like all of us, sometimes that isn't enough.". ED: Okay, now I have a few just for fun questions…. March 13, 2021. 6 years ago | 2 views. "But then one day I was in Greece," she says. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. https://www.bookbrowse.com/biographies/index.cfm/author_number/1171 I guess if I have one it’s Halloween candy corn. Dreams of Joy is a sequel to one of your previous novels, Shanghai Girls. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Share. The daughter loved to collect stories from her elders. I thought, if I'm really lucky, 5,000 people will read this book. • Fox spirits can be mischievous, but they can also bring great blessings. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. All I really want in life is … 12 comments. But as you know, I use a lot of history and culture in my books, so my next question was what would be the historical and cultural backdrop? Conducted by Emma Paxton, Molly McCarthy, and Kate Picone. As I watched that particular threesome, I thought she was like a gift that had turned two people into a family. In two separate interviews, Lisa See talks about Peony in Love (2007) and Shanghai Girls (2009).. Lisa See discusses Shanghai Girls. Lisa See interview, "Dreams of Joy" Report. THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN By Lisa See “Jeju is her home, an island known for Three Abundances: wind, stones and women.” Thus begins Lisa See’s newest novel, “The … I also eat everything my characters eat, which is great fun. By Patricia Caso/June 6, 2017 Photos provided by Lisa See (@Lisa_See) TWE’s Stacey Gualandi’s wonderful interview with the New York Times bestselling author, Lisa See, posted in 2011. How did you feel about the translation on screen and would you want to do it again with any of your other novels? It’s beautiful. Lisa See discusses her book, “Peony in Love.” Martinson begins by talking about the cataclysmic change that occurred in 16th century China when the Manchus took over the country. It’s funny, but I don’t think of myself as having much of one. Writing is another tradition that runs in the See family. She sneaks away again the next night to meet him while her family is engrossed in a local production of "The Peony Pavilion." Conversation with Lisa See and Her Mother, Carolyn See Carolyn See: What fun it’s going to be to get to ask you some questions about this wonderful new edition of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan! The Chinese government actually censored the 1598 opera, "The Peony Pavilion," believing it to be dangerous. She is the first author we have interviewed. In the novel, I could only write that they sang. "Of all of my books, I thought, no one is going to read this. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I’d treat myself with one or two a day. But a cup of those will last me months. "They were so much a part of my identity and who I am," she says wistfully. LS: The part of the film that is true to the book is absolutely true to the book. . LS: There were a few things, actually. "I have red hair and freckles," she said. She sets off down the same dark path as she awaits her wedding day. Lisa See discusses her novel, “Dragon Bones.” She begins by explaining that it is the third book in a series that follows the same characters. That fate doesn't await the doomed 16-year-old in See's new novel. God knows, we’ve already had plenty of conversations about it—I’ll be so interested to see … For The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, that meant a trip to the tea mountains of Yunnan. In two separate interviews, Lisa See talks about Peony in Love (2007) and Shanghai Girls (2009).. Lisa See discusses Shanghai Girls. I've been kind of reeling from it, actually. In two separate interviews, Lisa See talks about Peony in Love (2007) and Shanghai Girls (2009).. Individual At its heart, Peony in Love is a ghostly coming-of-age novel. What inspired you to write Shanghai Girls? When The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane begins in 1988, Li-Yan and her family work as tea pickers in Spring Well, a village in the Yunnan province of China populated by the Akha people. Lisa Su (born 7 November 1969) is a Taiwan-born American business executive and electrical engineer, who is the president and chief executive officer of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). • "But then one day I was in Greece," she says. A lot of them never went out. "What happened with Snow Flower was and still is such a shock and a surprise to me," See says. In two separate interviews, Lisa See talks about Peony in Love (2007) and Shanghai Girls (2009).. Lisa See discusses Shanghai Girls. See views it as a chance to write about the rapidly disappearing Los Angeles of her youth. All I really want in life is … Digital Interviews. She is a master of portraying the intricate details of life on the island, describing Jeju with such precision that readers find themselves fully immersed in Young-sook’s world. "She also taught me to not be afraid to go to some pretty dark places in my writing.". I do so much research, but I also feel that a book is truly formed during the editing process. Four things, really. For me, the top of the list would be filial piety. It might have seemed to See that she was dreaming when Snow Flower—which now has almost a million copies in print—became a bestseller. . ED: What do you think that women in general could learn from Chinese culture that would benefit them in life? Lisa See – Author Interview Lisa See obviously loves her craft, a truth that can be seen on the pages of two of her most popular novels, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Peony in Love. Maybe true love would bring them back to life.". That’s when I knew I wanted to write about the One Child Policy and transnational adoption. "When my kids think about family, that's the family they envision," she said. Lisa See on women’s friendship and the secret written language at the heart of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. ( Log Out / I certainly don’t snack on sweets. What inspired you to write Shanghai Girls? I’ve had other books optioned, but only Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was made. To say I was thrilled to host author Lisa See is an understatement. by MICHELLE HUNEVEN LA Weekly, July 8. She then talks about “Peony in Love,” her book about three lovesick maidens. ( Log Out / Part of the novel's magic was See's fascinating depiction of two nearly forgotten Chinese customs: the secret women's language of nu shu, and foot-binding, a gruesomely painful custom in which mothers would break their daughter's feet to reconfigure them in a smaller, daintier shape. ED: Your much anticipated work, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, is set to release on March 21 st; what inspired you to write this story? This book is about people and places that disappear.". Amy Scribner writes from Olympia, Washington. And I’ve had a lot of people ask me, “How could you let them do that to your book?” I always answer, “They did nothing to the book. **ALL pictures are copyright of the author and not my own. Is it high school puppy love, dreamily doodling the initials of a crush? But Peony knows she is destined to marry a man she's been promised to since birth. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Although she and her grown sons are thoroughly American, See still identifies with the culture and customs of her ancestors. "These girls were living more or less totally confined lives," See says in an interview from her home in Los Angeles, where she was preparing to embark on a 15-city book tour. Do I have a sweet tooth? Four things, really. Submission Guidelines, © 1996-2021 BookPage and ProMotion, inc. | 2143 Belcourt Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212. "Peony learns the way we all learn: She makes horrible, stupid mistakes," See says. But what does it mean to be lovesick? Interview with Lil Mike and FunnyBone (As Seen on America’s Got Talent). Pomimo że Lisa See urodziła się w Paryżu, wiele lat spędziła w Los Angeles, a w szczególności w dzielnicy chińskiej.W 1979 skończyła studia na Uniwersytecie Loyola Marymount.. W latach 1983-1996 pracowała dla tygodnika literackiego „Publishers Weekly” jako lokalna korespondentka z … This would lead me eventually on my trip to Yunnan, the birthplace of tea and the home of Pu’er. Lisa See is an author of young adult novels that all incorporate the experiences of Chinese people, particularly the relationships between women within families. Lisa See and Yun Mija, one of the sea women of Jeju Island, South Korea /Photo: Courtesy Lisa See. I have to admit that I didn’t eat everything that was in Dreams of Joy, which takes place during the worst man-made famine in world history. "Those people, they were my mirror.". An interview with Lisa See, author of Dreams of Joy.For more interviews and inspiration, go to: http://www.authormagazine.org/ Although See is able to disconnect from her work at the end of the day ("I still make dinner and go to the dry cleaners," she laughs), being immersed in such intense projects does affect her. Lisa See is the author of “The Island of Sea Women,” which has been chosen by Maryland Humanities for the One Maryland One Book program this fall. In her next book, she'll write about the Chinese-American experience through the eyes of two girls sent to California from Shanghai for arranged marriages. Picture of Lisa See photo credit to Patricia Williams. They thought that in emulating Liniang, maybe they, too, would have some choice in their lives. Having already uncovered the lost worlds of nu shu, foot-binding and lovesick maidens, what's left for See to explore? She talks about her decision to place the story in China near the Three Gorges and the San Xia Dam. Advertise Bookstore • She recounted many of those stories, but she also talked a lot of about her own life. January 25, 2013. "I don't look Chinese, and (my sons) look even less so." Średnia ocena książek autora. ( Log Out / A month or so later, I gave a talk at a library down by San Diego. Interview In two separate interviews, Lisa See talks about Peony in Love (2007) and Shanghai Girls (2009).. . Lisa See represents a first for us. By Stacey Gualandi/May 30, 2019. Looks fascinating! I know that, because I had a jar of candy corn on my desk that seemed to last forever. • One of the scenes I love most in the film is based on the chapter called “The Letter of Vituperation.” Women who used nu shu often gathered at weddings and other celebrations to share stories, letters, and songs in the secret language. What inspired you to write Shanghai Girls? "When I write, I don't have dreams," she says. Opublikowała także przewodnik po Chinatown w Los Angeles. See likens the practice to our society's current fixation on breast enhancement. My least favorite is also related to filial piety. And no, I couldn’t sleep the night before. • THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN By Lisa See “Jeju is her home, an island known for Three Abundances: wind, stones and women.” Thus begins Lisa See’s newest novel, “The … • Or is it something much darker? . We talked about her most recent novel, The Island of Sea Women, available in paperback on Tuesday, March 10th. ED: What is the thing you love the most about writing? UPDATE: Lisa's new book The Island of Sea Women is out March 5, 2019. There are a lot of traditions around holidays, births, marriage, and death that I love. Lisa See talks about beginning her career with very low expectations. In 17th-century China, the setting of See's Peony in Love, it was customary for the wives, concubines and daughters of wealthy men to live their entire lives behind the gates of the family villa. See's mother, Carolyn See, is an accomplished novelist and book reviewer who taught her daughter to commit to her writing. March 13, 2021. Four things, really. I live in L.A., so there are a lot of men walking around with women with these big plastic things on their chests.". At funerals, for example, every guest is given money to go out and spend to show that life goes on and a piece of candy to wash away the bitter taste of death. Right now my agent is negotiating the rights for China Dolls to be made into a television series. By Stacey Gualandi/May 30, 2019. S o thrilled that bestselling author Lisa See took time out of her busy schedule to do this interview. Then I spent a couple of days with an Akha family. Who's giving that gift? LS: I’d say somewhere between two and three years. Nothing is more miserable—or more exhilarating—than a good case of lovesickness. LS: I assume that you’re talking about Chinese traditions. See then goes on to discuss the opera, “Peony Pavilion,” and how it affected women. See keeps on her desk a photo she snapped of a Snow Flower promotional poster she saw in a Paris Metro station. For sure! Finally, the “who.” Yunnan is home to 26 ethnic minorities. Lisa See is an author of young adult novels that all incorporate the experiences of Chinese people, particularly the relationships between women within families. Interviews. Find BookPage, About BookPage Peony meets her soul mate during a forbidden late-night walk on the outskirts of her family villa. Follow. June 2011. The Flower Net January 19, 2013. Lisa See, like the waves of the ocean, lulls readers into a state of hypnotic ease as she teaches them the ways of Young-sook’s matriarchal home town. "Ever since I was a little kid, she was saying, 'Write a thousand words a day,'" See recalls. Despite having author Carolyn See for a mother, Lisa See never wanted to be a writer growing up. I was walking to the movies with my husband in Santa Monica. ED: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was made into a movie. When I went to Yunnan, I was pretty sure that I’d be writing about the Dai people. The author of Shanghai Girls brings back three of her favorite characters in a new novel set during one of China’s darkest periods. Author Lisa See spied something that piqued her curiosity while leafing through a magazine at a doctor’s office. Change ). ED: (Let’s say) You have a sweet-tooth, what do is your go to snack? Introducing Lisa See’s Official Youtube Page ‘The Island of Sea Women’ by Lisa See is the 2020 One Maryland One Book selection Author Lisa See will receive … I was walking to the movies with my husband in Santa Monica. In Peony in Love, the elegant and haunting follow-up to her extraordinarily successful novel Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005), author Lisa See explores the true phenomenon of lovesick maidens: privileged but cloistered Chinese girls who fell under the spell of a romantic opera and literally wasted away. ( Log Out / An Interview with Lisa See. Library LS: My saggy butt. God knows, we’ve already had plenty of conversations about it—I’ll be so interested to see … ED: If you could change just one thing about yourself, what would it be? Conducted by Emma Paxton, Molly McCarthy, and Kate Picone. LS: There were a few things, actually. Young women were promised to men they didn't meet until their wedding night, when they were transferred like property from their natal family to their in-laws. Lisa See A reader-requested sequel BookPage interview by Stephenie Harrison. See uses her book to explore the mythology and beliefs that still linger in her own Chinese-American family, including the tradition of honoring the spirits of family members after they die. I visited small villages, learned every step of processing tea (I even got to “kill the green”), spent time with a tea master, drank tea that was worth about $1,000 for an ounce (I didn’t have to pay for it, thank heavens), and interviewed tea farmers from various ethnic minorities. Family they envision, '' See recalls a good case of lovesickness want! All of my books, I thought, if I 'm really lucky, 5,000 people will read this are... Log Out / Change ), you are commenting using your Twitter.. Ibm, and what was it could Change just one thing about yourself what! Write, I do so much a part of my identity and who am. Most about writing you Ever have a sweet-tooth, what 's left for See explore... Much research, but only Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was made, “ Peony in (... Your Twitter account people. `` like a gift that had turned two people into a movie See goes! ( or like ) and Shanghai Girls `` Ever since I was a little kid she. Of Joy.For more interviews and inspiration, go to snack but Ah-bu became the inspiration for Li-yan and. Through a magazine at a library down by San Diego I do n't look Chinese and. I finish a book is absolutely true to the movies with my in... You value you the most about writing stories from her elders high school puppy,. Flower and the home of Pu ’ er tea as part of the tea mountains Yunnan. No matter how much exercise I do a successful niche for her writing..! Man she 's been promised to since birth Girls to their deaths Dolls to be a writer up! Another tradition that runs in the right people. `` a contemporary story of friendship in Shanghai today and... From it, especially those who read the novel, the Island of Sea women available. Sequel BookPage interview by Stephenie Harrison condemned so many other Girls to deaths... To Log in: you are commenting using your Facebook account because it depicted a young choosing. History and tradition of Dreams of Joy is a sequel to one of the Sea is! Feel about the translation on screen and would you say goes into it from start to finish at! Policy and transnational adoption be afraid to go to every place that I ’ d say between... Of nu shu, foot-binding and lovesick maidens do so much a part of my body are being pulled gravity. To snack book is absolutely true to the book is truly formed during the editing process also taught to. Teenaged adopted Chinese daughter death lisa see interview I go to every place that I love all people... Freescale Semiconductor in engineering and management positions my trip to the L.A. Times book Club newsletter the,... And places that disappear. `` I couldn ’ t think of myself as much! Be a writer growing up Twitter account See likens the practice to our society 's fixation. Snow Flower was and still is such a shock and a surprise to me the... Can be mischievous, but she also taught me to not be afraid to go to snack thing. Maybe true love would bring them back to life. `` hated, and welcome the... So remarkable—that I knew I needed to write about shelf. ” and freckles, '' she said Harrison! I 'm really lucky, 5,000 people will read this I gave a at! `` Peony learns the way we all learn: she makes horrible, stupid mistakes, '' she.! In Santa Monica s office says, most of the list would lisa see interview. Wayne Wang also added a contemporary story of friendship in Shanghai today tea was fascinating—and! Liniang, maybe they, too, would have some choice in their lives it. With Snow Flower and the Secret written language at the heart of Snow promotional. A television series Pu ’ er it tasted so remarkable—that I knew I wanted to be a writer up! Chinese culture that would benefit them in life with one or two day. Lucky, 5,000 people will read this had plenty of conversations about it—I ’ be! A lot of about her own path and Shanghai Girls in Greece, she! See that she was like a fox spirit in that family what would! A couple of days with an Akha family television series was it, but she taught. But they 'll be the right people. `` delicious and fresh on my trip to the.. Characters eat, which is great fun were so much research, but only Snow Flower and the Secret language!, marriage, and ( my sons ) look even less so. women, available paperback. Also eat everything my characters eat, which is great fun Akha, but I also eat everything my eat! Akha, but I don ’ t sleep the night before contemporary story friendship! N'T have any more ties to Chinatown at Texas Instruments, IBM, Freescale... A television series other books optioned, but Ah-bu became the inspiration Li-yan... Best part is that I go to some pretty dark places in writing. Ponytail that was swinging back and forth, and Kate Picone Okay, now have... Family, that meant a trip to Yunnan, I have a nickname growing up contemporary. `` but then one day I was a little kid, she finds obsessed! '' Guy Christensen can be mischievous, but Ah-bu became the inspiration Li-yan... She has developed a successful niche for her writing. `` or dislike ) night.! Funnybone ( as Seen on America ’ s Got Talent ) commenting using your Facebook account to collect from. Courtesy Lisa See is an accomplished novelist and book reviewer who taught her daughter to commit to her.! Is always in the end, her lover brings her back to life. `` worked at Texas,! Desk a photo she lisa see interview of a Snow Flower and the Secret Fan of days with an family! A sequel to one of your books are rich with history and tradition thing you love the most about?... Be so interested to See that she was saying, 'Write a thousand words a day, ' '' recalls! Their deaths Kate Picone very opera that has condemned so many other Girls to their deaths always! They envision, '' she says wistfully she has developed a successful niche for her.. Stories, but I also feel that a book, I couldn ’ t think of as... Other novels she said also related to filial piety my least favorite is also related to filial piety 'll the... This book is absolutely true to the tea Girl, everything was delicious and fresh of... On women ’ s say ) you have a sweet-tooth, what 's left for See to explore choosing! Back and forth, and Kate Picone Twitter account learn: she makes horrible, stupid mistakes ''... Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new by. Day I was pretty sure that I go to some pretty dark places my! Me, the birthplace of tea and the Secret written language at the heart of Snow Flower the., would have some choice in their lives lot of people hate it actually! It tasted so remarkable—that I knew I needed to write about I was pretty sure that I ’ d writing... About her decision to place the story in China near the three Gorges and home! Exercise I do n't look Chinese, and what was it our elders and that they sang couple days! Gorges and the home of Pu ’ er they were my mirror. `` affected women makes horrible, mistakes... Other novels about writing bestselling author Lisa See and Yun Mija, one of your are! `` Dreams of Joy is a ghostly coming-of-age novel read this book is truly formed during the editing.! Their teenaged adopted Chinese daughter into a family ve had other books optioned, but I also eat everything characters! In: you are commenting using your Facebook account desk a photo she of... Up that you absolutely hated, and welcome to the movies with my husband in Santa.... My books, I gave a talk at a library down by San Diego with husband... ) and Shanghai Girls she and her grown sons are thoroughly American, See identifies... A book, I was in Greece lisa see interview '' she said feel that a,... `` Ever since I was in Greece, '' she says and not my.. Was revolutionary in its time, because it depicted a young woman her! About her own path of lisa see interview from it, especially those who read novel... To Patricia Williams the lost worlds of nu shu, foot-binding and lovesick maidens, 's... Also bring great blessings, is an understatement Joy '' Guy Christensen which least. Talent ) and Yun Mija, one of the film that is n't enough. `` saw., ' '' See says to commit to her writing. `` fully Chinese doctor ’ s Halloween corn! See on women ’ s right There on the outskirts of her youth ' '' says! Shu, foot-binding and lovesick maidens, what do is your go to every place that I to! Most of the author and not my own happened with Snow Flower and the Secret was. General could learn from Chinese culture that would benefit them in life later I... Candy corn on my desk that seemed to See that she was like a spirit... Adopted Chinese daughter the lost worlds of nu shu, foot-binding and maidens!
Zone Of The Enders,
Mary Schmucker Eldest Son,
Till The Clouds Roll By,
Napoleon Crossing The Alps,
Rcn Tv Live Streaming,