Talking Books: Asian American Authors in Conversation—Qian Julie Wang, author of Beautiful Country: A Memoir

Please join us for a virtual book talk with Qian Julie Wang. We will be discussing her book, Beautiful Country: A Memoir, which is available through the NYPL catalog. This talk is part of a conversation series with Asian American authors and their works.

Qian Julie was born in Shijiazhuang, China. At age 7, she moved to Brooklyn, New York, with her parents. For five years, the three lived in the shadows of undocumented life in New York City. Her memoir follows the family through those years, as they grappled with poverty, manual labor in sweatshops, lack of access to medical care, and the perpetual threat of deportation. Currently, Qian Julie is a litigator and now managing partner of a law firm that is dedicated to advocating for education and civil rights.

Beautiful Country has been well received. From Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review): “Engaging readers through all five senses and the heart, Wang’s debut memoir is a critical addition to the literature on immigration as well as the timeless category of childhood memoir. As saturated in cultural specificity as classics like Angela’s Ashes and Persepolis, the narrative conveys the unique flavor and underlying beliefs of the author’s Chinese heritage—and how they played out as both gifts and obstacles… A potent testament to the love, curiosity, grit, and hope of a courageous and resourceful immigrant child.”

Registration is required. You will need a device with audio and/or video and an internet connection to join. You must register with an email address in order to receive the link to participate. The link will be sent to you the day of the discussion. Space is limited to 100 people.

This virtual program is being presented by Chatham Square Library of NYPL in cooperation with the Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW).

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