Acclaimed New York Times best-selling author Lisa See will join Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) for a free virtual “Meet the Author” event at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17. See will discuss her latest work, The Island of Sea Women, which was selected as the 2020 “One Maryland, One Book” title.
Maryland Humanities created One Maryland One Book to bring together diverse people in communities across the state through the shared experience of reading the same book.
“We are delighted to host such a celebrated author,” said MCPL Director Anita Vassallo. “We are looking forward to discussing her book, which is being read across Maryland.”
The Island of Sea Women is a sweeping historical novel about two girls living on the Korean island of Jeju, and their introduction into the world of the haenyeo, the village’s intrepid all-female diving collective. Told over several decades, See delves into their experiences of hardship and struggle through periods of Japanese colonialism, World War II, the Korean War and beyond.
Always intrigued by stories that have been lost, forgotten or deliberatively covered up, See is known for her exploration of the bonds of female friendship, and the themes of love, betrayal and forgiveness. Among her novels are Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (made into a 2011 feature film); Peony in Love; Shanghai Girls; and The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane. Her first book, On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese American Family, chronicled the remarkable life of her great-grandfather, Fong See, who traveled from China to find his fortune at California’s “Gold Mountain.”
Registration is required for this free program at the event site. For more information email: Lisa.Navidi@montgomerycountymd.gov.