In celebration of the Lunar New Year, get ready for an unforgettable experience as we welcome Monique Truong for an exclusive visit! The featured book is titled, Mai’s Áo Dài, that Monique will be reading. This is your chance to step into the mind of the author as she shares the special traditions her family celebrates during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. Enjoy an intimate conversation about her creative journey, inspiration, and storytelling process and get an exclusive sneak peek at her upcoming projects. Whether you’re a long-time fan or just curious about her work, this event is perfect for book lovers of all ages!

Why Attend?

• Exclusive Insights: Gain a deeper understanding of the author’s work and creative process.
• Connect with Other Fans: Meet fellow readers and discuss your favorite books in a welcoming environment.
• Memorable Experience: Create lasting memories by interacting with the author and other fans.

About the author:

Monique Truong is an award-winning novelist, essayist, and former intellectual-property attorney whose work beautifully explores themes of identity, memory, exile, and belonging. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, and raised in the American South after her family fled their homeland as refugees, Truong draws deeply from her personal history to craft stories that illuminate the complexities of the immigrant experience. A graduate of Yale University and Columbia Law School, Truong made her literary debut with The Book of Salt, an international bestseller that re-imagines the life of a Vietnamese cook in the home of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. The novel received the New Your Public Library Young Lions Award, the Stonewall Book Award-Barbara Gittings Literature Award, and the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize. Her follow-up works, Bitter in the Mouth and The Sweetest Fruits, further showcase her lyrical storytelling, intertwining food, memory, and identity to give voice to characters navigating histories of displacement and belonging.

Beyond her fiction, Truong is a celebrated essayist and cultural voice, contributing to anthologies, operatic works, and literary festivals worldwide. Her writing invites readers to taste the richness of language, culture, and human connection.

Join us for an intimate conversation with Monique Truong as she reflects on her family’s Vietnamese Lunar New Year traditions, her creative journey, and the stories that continue to inspire her. Whether you’re a long-time admirer or new to her work, this event promises to be a meaningful celebration of storytelling, heritage, and the power of words.

Check out the author's bestsellers!