Reading The Family Chao with author Lucy Tan (Part 1)
Caitlin talks with one of her favorite authors, Lucy Tan! Lucy is the author of What We Were Promised, a story about a wealthy Chinese family, before and after they were wealthy, and the life of their housekeeper, all set in Shanghai.
We talk about Lucy's writing, her MFA experience, and the seeds of inspiration for her first novel.
Then we discuss Part One of The Family Chao by Lan Samantha Chang. Lucy chose this book for us to read together because she's been a longtime admirer of Chang's writing. The Family Chao (a Barack Obama summer 2022 reading pick!) is about a Chinese American family of three boys, their family restaurant, and the aftermath of their father's suspected murder. We talk about our impressions of the characters, who we want to get to know more, the balance of passion and presence, and the idea that there are only certain times of your life for "emergence."
We share audio messages from more readers, thank you Sloane and Grayson for sharing your love for Lucy's work!
Music by lesfm.
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