Lan Samantha Chang

Spanning seven decades and set in China and America against a backdrop of political chaos and social upheaval, this arresting debut novel tells a timeless story of familial devotion undermined by deceit and passion and rebuilt by memory. In 1931, abandoned after their mother's suicide, young Junan and her sister, Yinan, make a pact never to leave each other. The two girls are inseparable - until Junan enters into an arranged marriage and finds herself...

At their renowned writing school, every student is simultaneously terrified of and attracted to the charismatic poet and professor Miranda Sturgis, whose high standards for art are both intimidating and inspiring. As two students, Roman and Bernard, strive to win her admiration, the lines between mentorship, friendship, and love are blurred. Roman's first book wins a prestigious prize. Meanwhile, Bernard labors for years over a single poem. Secrets...

"Perceptively identifying a paradox at the very heart of feminism, editor Robin Romm has marshaled a stunning constellation of thinkers to examine their relationships with ambition with candor, intimacy and wit"--Jacket.

A thematic collection of exemplary contemporary literature that blends the uniqueness and the commonalities of all cultures, including African American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, and European. - Back cover.