Lijia Zhang's guest appearances

Lijia Zhang

World Book Club

Wo Men Podcast

NüVoices

Jane Eyre

Siri Hustvedt

Zadie Smith

Elizabeth Gilbert

Toni Morrison

Harlan Coben

Kurt Vonnegut

Yann Martel

Colm Toibin

Stephen King

Jojo Moyes

Ian McEwan

Sebastian Faulks

Mark Haddon

Jo Nesbo

OwlTail

This month BBC World Book Club comes from Beijing with Lawrence Pollard. The programme is a guest of the Bookworm, three rooms and a roof terrace full of books in Chinese and English, a fixture on the literary scene here for over a decade. Bestselling Chinese writer Lijia Zhang answers questions about her novel Lotus. Lijia taught herself English while working in a missile factory in a bid to become a writer and a journalist, and she’s written Lotus in English. It’s the story of a young migrant worker from the country who ends up as a prostitute in Shenzen, the economic powerhouse of Southern China. It’s also a deeply researched picture of the people who look up at the economic miracle from beneath and their struggles for dignity, love and a future they can believe in.(Image: Lijia Zhang. Credit: Will Baker.)

This month BBC World Book Club comes from Beijing with Lawrence Pollard. The programme is a guest of the Bookworm, three rooms and a roof terrace full of books in Chinese and English, a fixture on the literary scene here for over a decade. Bestselling Chinese writer Lijia Zhang answers questions about her novel Lotus. Lijia taught herself English while working in a missile factory in a bid to become a writer and a journalist, and she’s written Lotus in English. It’s the story of a young migrant worker from the country who ends up as a prostitute in Shenzen, the economic powerhouse of Southern China. It’s also a deeply researched picture of the people who look up at the economic miracle from beneath and their struggles for dignity, love and a future they can believe in. (Image: Lijia Zhang. Credit: Will Baker.)

Lijia Zhang: Lotus

In the seventh episode of the NüVoices podcast, co-hosts Sophie Lu and Joanna Chiu interview author, journalist, activist, and NüVoices Collective editorial board member Lijia Zhang. But first, a reminder that the New York launch of the NüVoices Collective is happening this Thursday, November 1, at an event in Brooklyn, featuring Leta Hong Fincher, Rebecca Karl, and Lu Pin. Also, a important reminder that the deadline for submissions for the NüVoices Collective print anthology is coming up, December 1. See our website for more submission details! Lijia Zhang was a factory worker who made parts for rockets before she sought freedom through literature. She taught herself English, became a leader of factory workers during the 1989 protests in Nanjing, and eventually became an award-winning journalist and author. Her works include the memoir Socialism Is Great! and a collection of oral histories called China Remembers. Her most recent novel, Lotus, tells the story of a young migrant who turned to prostitution; the story was inspired by Lijia's grandmother’s deathbed revelation of being sold to a brothel. As Lijia describes it, Lotus is “not a Chinese pretty woman.” Writing in English, Lijia has found creative freedom and uses her strong literary voice to tell stories of China’s “little people” (小人物 xiǎorénwù) — those of the disadvantaged class who live on the margins of society. She seeks to bring to light many social inequalities while also telling the stories of Chinese people with humanity. You can learn more about her work in an upcoming episode of the BBC World Book Club podcast. She is currently researching a new book about China’s left-behind children. For books and self-care recommendations, Lijia loves Sketches From a Hunter’s Album, by Russian author Ivan Turgenev, and living a well-balanced life. Joanna suggests another great book about political activism in China, The Phoenix Years: Art, Resistance, and the Making of Modern China, by Madeleine O’Dea, and sleeping more. Finally, Sophie recommends CIRCE, a retelling of Homer’s Odyssey from the perspective of the witch Circe, and going to a great drag bingo.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the seventh episode of the NüVoices podcast, co-hosts Sophie Lu and Joanna Chiu interview author, journalist, activist, and NüVoices Collective editorial board member Lijia Zhang. But first, a reminder that the New York launch of the NüVoices Collective is happening this Thursday, November 1, at an event in Brooklyn, featuring Leta Hong Fincher, Rebecca Karl, and Lu Pin. Also, a important reminder that the deadline for submissions for the NüVoices Collective print anthology is coming up, December 1. See our website for more submission details! Lijia Zhang was a factory worker who made parts for rockets before she sought freedom through literature. She taught herself English, became a leader of factory workers during the 1989 protests in Nanjing, and eventually became an award-winning journalist and author. Her works include the memoir Socialism Is Great! and a collection of oral histories called China Remembers. Her most recent novel, Lotus, tells the story of a young migrant who turned to prostitution; the story was inspired by Lijia's grandmother’s deathbed revelation of being sold to a brothel. As Lijia describes it, Lotus is “not a Chinese pretty woman.” Writing in English, Lijia has found creative freedom and uses her strong literary voice to tell stories of China’s “little people” (小人物 xiǎorénwù) — those of the disadvantaged class who live on the margins of society. She seeks to bring to light many social inequalities while also telling the stories of Chinese people with humanity. You can learn more about her work in an upcoming episode of the BBC World Book Club podcast. She is currently researching a new book about China’s left-behind children. For books and self-care recommendations, Lijia loves Sketches From a Hunter’s Album, by Russian author Ivan Turgenev, and living a well-balanced life. Joanna suggests another great book about political activism in China, The Phoenix Years: Art, Resistance, and the Making of Modern China, by Madeleine O’Dea, and sleeping more. Finally, Sophie recommends CIRCE, a retelling of Homer’s Odyssey from the perspective of the witch Circe, and going to a great drag bingo.See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.

A rocket maker turned journalist: Lijia Zhang tells the stories of everyday people