Lisa See

Lisa See is a Chinese American writer and novelist. One-eighth Chinese, the Chinese side of her family has had a great impact on her life and work . Her books include ''On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family'' , ''Flower Net'' , '''' , '''' , ''Snow Flower and the Secret Fan'' , and ''Peony in Love'' .

''Flower Net'', ''The Interior'', and ''Dragon Bones'' make up the Red Princess mystery series. ''Snow Flower and the Secret Fan'' and ''Peony in Love'' focus on the lives of Chinese women in the 19th and 17th centuries respectively.

Writing under the pen name Monica Highland, See, her mother Caroline, and John Espy, published three novels: ''Lotus Land'' , ''110 Shanghai Road'' , and ''Greetings from Southern California'' .

See has written a personal essay for ''Half and Half''.

Biography

Lisa See was born in Paris February 18, 1955 but has spent many years in Los Angeles, especially Los Angeles Chinatown. Her mother, Carolyn See, is also a writer and novelist. Her autobiography provides insight into her daughter's life in personal terms . Lisa See graduated with a B.A. from Loyola Marymount University in 1979 .

See was West Coast correspondent for ''Publishers Weekly'' ; has written articles for ''Vogue'', ''Self'', and ''More''; has written the libretto for the opera based on ''On Gold Mountain'' ; and has helped develop the Family Discovery Gallery for the Autry Museum, which depicts 1930s Los Angeles from the perspective of her father as a seven-year-old boy. Her exhibition ''On Gold Mountain: A Chinese American Experience'' was featured in the Autry Museum of Western Heritage and the Smithsonian . See is also a public speaker.

She has written for and led in many cultural events emphasizing the importance of Los Angeles and Chinatown. Among her awards and recognitions are the Organization of Chinese American Women's 2001 award as National Woman of the Year and the 2003 History Makers Award presented by the Chinese American Museum. See serves as a Los Angeles City Commissioner .

She also has won the "Mom of the Year" award from the Christopher Kendall Foundation.

Books by Lisa See

* ''On Gold Mountain'': The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese American Family''. St. Martins Press, 1995.
* ''Flower Net'''. HarperCollins, 1997.
* ''''. HarperCollins, 1999.
* ''''.'' Random House, Inc., 2004.
* ''Snow Flower and the Secret Fan''. Random House, Inc., 2005.
* ''Peony in Love''. Random House, Inc., 2008.
* ''Chinatown'' , Angels Walk LA, 2003.

Lisa See on Her Life and Works

*"A Conversation with Lisa See", Random House Reader's Circle. ''Peony in Love''. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2008, pp. 287-294.
*"Author's Note". ''Peony in Love'', pp. 275-280.