Lisa See at a Glance

Full Name: Lisa See

Pronunciation: LEE-suh SEE

Born: February 18, 1955

Nationality: United States

Education:

• Loyola Marymount University (BA, English and Psychology)

Genres:

• Historical fiction
• Mystery

Biography & Background

Lisa See Biography

Of both Chinese and Caucasian ancestry, Lisa See spent most of her childhood in Los Angeles with her Cantonese-speaking family, and she often credits her multicultural background for her unique perspective on the world. Her great-great grandfather came to the United States from China to work on the railroad, and her great-grandfather, Fong See, became a dominant figure in Los Angeles Chinatown. Her debut novel, On Gold Mountain: The One Hundred Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family (1995), traces the story of her great-grandfather’s life. It became a New York Times bestseller and was later adapted into an opera, for which Lisa See wrote the libretto.

Much of See’s work explores the nuances of female bonds and friendships, and she engages in long-term, intense research before writing each new book, seeing this as the most important and engaging part of the creative process. Over the years, she has written a range of Chinese-themed novels such as Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005), The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane (2017), and most recently, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women (2023). As a writer who straddles two distinct cultural worlds, See strives to create writing that bridges the gulfs in understanding between the two. In addition to writing ground-breaking novels, she has also served as Publisher’s Weekly West Coast correspondent for a full 13 years, curated museum exhibits featuring her family’s history, and developed a walking tour of Los Angeles Chinatown.

Fun Facts About Lisa See

• Having grown up in a family that speaks a Cantonese dialect, Lisa See studied Mandarin for four years to gain conversational proficiency but has since lost much of her facility with the language.
• When researching Snow Fan, she traveled to an extremely remote part of China and was told that she was only the second foreigner ever to visit that place.
• Lisa See views writing as a job and makes it a point to write at least 1,000 words per day when working on a novel.

Lisa See’s Awards & Honors

• 2001 — National Woman of the Year (Organization of Chinese American Women)
• 2003 — Chinese American Museum’s History Makers Award
• 2017 — Golden Spike Award (Chinese Historical Society of Southern California)

Interviews & Podcasts

Hear from Lisa See in her own words.

Interviews with Lisa See

_{FAMOUS WRITING ROUTINES}

Interview with Lisa See: “The Writing Is the Shortest Part of the Process” (March 2023)

See reflects on her creative process, explaining that her novels emerge from years of research, travel, and personal inquiry before she begins to write. This interview provides insight into how she constructs immersive, historically rooted fiction.

_{THE ALEMBIC}

An Interview with Lisa See (March 12, 2021)

In a wide-ranging conversation, See discusses her relationship to Chinese history, the influence of matriarchal stories, and the dual identity she navigates as an Asian American writer. A must-read for fans interested in the cultural motivations behind her work.

_{AMERICAN WRITERS MUSEUM}

A Conversation with Lisa See, Author of Lady Tan’s Circle of Women (June 14, 2023)

See discusses the legacy of women’s medical knowledge and her inspiration for Lady Tan’s Circle of Women. This interview illuminates how she uses fiction to recover and celebrate women’s history.

_{SOUTH FLORIDA PBS}

Lisa See Discusses Her Novel Lady Tan’s Circle of Women (March 29, 2024)

In this video interview, See shares her fascination with historical foot binding, female friendship, and the importance of storytelling in shaping cultural memory. A powerful visual companion to her recent work.

Lisa See Quotes

I’ve been lucky to have been cared for and loved since childhood by a circle of women. Now it’s time for me to create a wider circle, so I can do for my daughters and other women in the household what Grandmother, Miss Zhao, Meiling, and even Poppy have done for.

— Lady Tan’s Circle of Women (2023)

I wish I could explain to them that while I take pride in what I’ve accomplished with their foot-binding, I despise this chore with equal measure. Who among us would wish to inflict agony on her child? We say we want sons to continue the family line, but sometimes I wonder if what we’re really saying is that we’d rather have a son than do this.

— Lady Tan’s Circle of Women (2023)

Anyone who says that women do not have influence in men’s decisions makes a vast and stupid mistake.

— Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005)

They did this to me. They did that to me. A woman who thinks that way will never overcome her anger. You are not being punished for your anger. You’re being punished by your anger.

— The Island of Sea Women (2019)

I’ve had to think about the dark shadow side of friendship. This is the person who knows and loves you best, which means she knows all the ways to hurt and betray you.

— The Island of Sea Women (2019)

Notable Books by Lisa See

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005)

Set in 19th-century China, this novel explores a lifelong but complicated friendship between two women connected by laotong—a formalized sisterhood bond—and their secret written language. The novel investigates themes of sacrifice, cultural expectation, and emotional survival in a patriarchal society.

Check out SuperSummary’s study guide.

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane (2017)

This sweeping story follows a girl from the Akha ethnic minority in China and the daughter she’s forced to abandon, who grows up in America. As their stories eventually converge, See explores cross-cultural identity, adoption, and the global tea trade’s impact on marginalized communities.

Check out SuperSummary’s study guide.

The Island of Sea Women (2019)

Set on Korea’s Jeju Island, this novel tells the story of a friendship between two female divers trained in the haenyeo tradition. Through decades of hardship and political upheaval, See centers women’s labor, loyalty, and betrayal. The novel highlights untold histories of resistance and resilience.

Check out SuperSummary’s study guide.

Authors Like Lisa See

Amy Tan

Recommended Read: The Joy Luck Club (1989)

Tan’s classic intergenerational novel explores the lives of four Chinese American mother-daughter pairs as they navigate identity, memory, and inherited trauma. Like See, Tan gives voice to women balancing cultural dualities and examining maternal legacies.

Ready to dig in? Check out SuperSummary’s study guide.

Ann Liang

Recommended Read: A Song to Drown Rivers (2024)

This young adult fantasy set in a fictionalized Chinese-inspired empire follows a girl destined for sacrifice who dares to challenge fate. Liang, like See, draws on Chinese mythology and feminine power to this story of survival and self-determination.

Eve J. Chung

Recommended Read: Daughters of Shandong (2024)

Based on true events, Chung’s debut novel traces the lives of three generations of women escaping civil war in 1950s China. The narrative mirrors See’s work in exploring familial bonds, migration, and perseverance under political turmoil.

Follow Lisa See 

Connect with Lisa See on the following platforms:

• Email: lisa@lisasee.com
• Instagram: @lisasee_writer
• Threads: @lisasee_writer
• Facebook: Lisa See
• X: Lisa See
• YouTube: Lisa See
• Bluesky: Lisa See
• Goodreads: Lisa See