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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260928T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260928T203000
DTSTAMP:20260809T202656Z
CREATED:20260809T202632Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260809T202656Z
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SUMMARY:B&N celebrates Min Jin Lee's AMERICAN HAGWON
DESCRIPTION:B&N Union Square welcomes Min Jin Lee to celebrate AMERICAN HAGWON at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church on Monday\, September 28th at 7PM. \n\n\n\n\nBarnes & Noble – Union Square welcomes Min Jin Lee on Monday\, September 28th at 7pm at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church for a discussion of AMERICAN HAGWON\, a moving and powerful epic of a modern family struggling to educate their children and survive in a fast-changing world circumscribed by global economic shocks. \nShe will be joined in conversation by Miwa Messer for a live-taping of the Poured Over Podcast. \nPLEASE NOTE: The event will be held at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church\, with entrance at 708 Fifth Avenue\, New York\, NY 10019. \nPhoto credit: Art Schreiber
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/bn-celebrates-min-jin-lees-american-hagwon/
LOCATION:Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church\, 708 Fifth Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10019\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260929T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260929T200000
DTSTAMP:20260820T134708Z
CREATED:20260820T134414Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T134708Z
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SUMMARY:Chapal Rani\, the Last Queen of Bengal
DESCRIPTION:A book talk with author Sandip Roy \n\n\nJoin NYU’s Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality for a book talk with author Sandip Roy on Chapal Rani\, the Last Queen of Bengal: The Life and Times of a Female Impersonator \nAs the last great female impersonator of Bengali theater\, Chapal Bhaduri—known as Chapal Rani—once held audiences spellbound in the jatra tradition\, where men became goddesses and heroines. But when women finally took their place on stage\, Chapal found himself exiled from the world he had ruled. In this groundbreaking biography\, Sandip Roy captures the rise and fall of a performer whose art was inseparable from his identity. \nTold in Chapal’s own voice and interwoven with evocative fictional vignettes\, Chapal Rani\, the Last Queen of Bengal brings to life Kolkata’s golden age of theater and the resilience of a man who refused to disappear. Through decades of research and deeply personal interviews\, Roy crafts a moving portrait of gender and belonging. \nSandip Roy is a writer\, columnist and podcaster currently living in Kolkata. He is a columnist for Mint Lounge\, the Hindu and the host of the Sandip Roy Show on Indian Express. His weekly audio dispatches from Kolkata have been airing on public radio KALW in San Francisco since 2012. His work has appeared in publications like the New York Times\, BBC\, the San Francisco Chronicle\, NPR\, the Times of India\, Firstpost\, Huffington Post\, Conde Nast Traveller and other publications. He has been part of anthologies like Out! Stories from the New Queer India\, The Phobic and the Erotic\, Q&A: Queer in Asian America\, Men on Men 6\, Because I Have a Voice\, Story-wallah!\, House Spirit: Drinking in India and Cat People. For more than a decade\, Roy was editor of Trikone\, the world’s oldest magazine on LGBTQ+ South Asian issues. His first novel is Don’t Let Him Know. His latest book is Chapal Rani\, the Last Queen of Bengal – The Life and Times of a Female Impersonator. \nCopies of the book will be sold at the event. The talk will be followed by a catered reception and refreshments. \nNYU campus access guidelines: Registration is required. Non-NYU guests may be asked to present a government-issued photo ID. NYU guests must present their NYU ID. \nAccessibility note: This venue has an elevator and is accessible for wheelchair users. There are single-stall\, all gender restrooms available. If you have any access needs\, please email csgs@nyu.edu
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/chapal-rani-the-last-queen-of-bengal/
LOCATION:20 Cooper Sq\, 20 Cooper Square\, 3rd floor lobby\, New York\, NY\, 10003\, United States
CATEGORIES:Author Interview,Book,Discussion
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260930T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260930T210000
DTSTAMP:20260819T005613Z
CREATED:20260819T005613Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260819T005613Z
UID:10003132-1790782200-1790802000@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:JLF New York 2026
DESCRIPTION:Celebrating books\, ideas\, and dialogue\, the Jaipur Literature Festival — described as “the greatest literary show on Earth” — returns to New York in 2026. A caravan of pre-eminent writers\, performers\, essayists\, commentators\, and raconteurs is almost here to take you on a journey to worlds woven by words and ideas. This year’s JLF includes Kai Bird\, Sam Dalrymple\, Mahmood Mamdani\, Susan Goldmark and Nitin Seth.  \nThe iconic Jaipur Literature Festival\, held annually at the Pink City of Jaipur in India’s Rajasthan state\, has always believed in the spirit of community and the hope\, strength\, and vitality that literature gives. Join us for the tenth annual JLF New York\, returning to Asia Society to celebrate the cosmopolitan spirit and boundless energy of New York City and bringing forth JLF’s signature camaraderie\, the mosaic of ideas\, and the enrapturing flow of conversations that continue to make the festival truly incredible! \nSchedule\nSchedule timings\, speakers subject to change. Watch this space for updates.  \n3:40 – 4:20 p.m. \nShattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia\nSam Dalrymple in conversation with Prashant Jha \nShattered Lands by Sam Dalrymple traces five partitions that carved twelve nations\, reshaping borders\, identities\, and lives. Drawing on archival research\, memoirs\, and eyewitness accounts across multiple languages\, this compelling narrative illuminates the wars\, migrations\, and legacies that forged modern Asia. In conversation with writer Prashant Jha\, Sam explores the dramatic unmaking of Britain’s colonial Empire\, once spanning from the Red Sea to Southeast Asia. \n4:30 – 5:10 p.m. \nThere Is A Ghost In My Room\nSanjoy K. Roy in Conversation with Sohaila Abdulali \n5:20 – 6:00 p.m. \nAI: The Modern Double Helix\nNitin Seth\, Vinita Gupta and Meredith Broussard in conversation with Roopa Unnikrishnan  \nAs humans and machines enter a new era of co-intelligence\, the challenge is how we can collaborate with it responsibly\, creatively\, and ethically. This evolving partnership raises profound questions about knowledge\, trust\, originality\, and what remains uniquely human. A panel of experts discuss the possibilities of an innovation that has altered technology and work as we know it. \n6:10 – 6:50 p.m. \nSlow Poison: Uganda and the Afterlives of Empire\nMahmood Mamdani in conversation with Neeraj Kaushal \n7:00 – 7:50 p.m. \nAmerican Scoundrel: Roy Cohn’s Dark Journey\nKai Bird and Susan Goldmark in conversation with Sree Srinivasan \nIn American Scoundrel\, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Kai Bird\, with Susan Goldmark\, uncovers the extraordinary and unsettling life of Roy Cohn\, the ruthless lawyer\, fixer\, and political operator whose methods and worldview helped shape modern American politics and whose most enduring protégé was Donald Trump. From the fevered anti-communism of the McCarthy era to the boardrooms of New York\, the corridors of Washington\, and the glittering excess of Studio 54\, Cohn emerges as a charismatic\, manipulative\, and sinister presence. Bird and Goldmark’s meticulous research and gripping storytelling trace the making and unmaking of a man whose divisive influence deeply impacted the workings of the US for years to come.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/jlf-new-york-2026/
LOCATION:Asia Society\, 725 Park Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10021
CATEGORIES:Book
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261001T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261001T200000
DTSTAMP:20260825T032329Z
CREATED:20260825T032329Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260825T032329Z
UID:10003220-1790881200-1790884800@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Book Talk | Mud on the Moon by Nita Noveno
DESCRIPTION:ABOUT THE BOOK \nMUD ON THE MOON is a hybrid memoir that weaves a daughter’s journey of discovering her Filipino immigrant father’s hidden past with imaginative storytelling\, offering a look into migration\, identity\, and the intergenerational legacies that shape who we are.  \n\n\n\nBorn in Southeast Alaska\, Nita Noveno traces the legacy of her father\, who arrived in the US in 1928 as part of a wave of Filipino men seeking better opportunities through manual labor in agriculture and other industries. The book alternates between Nita’s coming-of-age story and imagined chapters of her father’s life\, revealing the gaps and silences that lie between their experiences. With a blend of personal and historical imagery\, Mud on the Moon offers a rare glimpse into the lives of Filipino immigrants in America. It is a meditation on how family\, memory\, and identity are shaped by the stories we inherit\, both spoken and unspoken\, across generations. \nABOUT THE AUTHOR \nNita Noveno is the recipient of the 2024 Women’s Prose Prize from Red Hen Press for her hybrid memoir Mud on the Moon\, published in August 2026. Publishers Weekly calls it “a moving blend of autobiography and imagination” and “an auspicious first outing.” A graduate of the MFA Creative Writing Program at The New School\, her creative nonfiction and hybrid work has appeared in MĀNOA\, Hippocampus\, The Margins\, and elsewhere. She teaches creative nonfiction\, composition\, and literature at the Borough of Manhattan Community College\, City University of New York\, and is the founder\, curator\, and host emeritus of Sunday Salon\, a long-running reading series in New York City. The child of immigrant parents from the Philippines\, she grew up in the temperate rainforest of Southeast Alaska and now lives in Queens\, NY. \nIN CONVERSATION WITH \nNina Sharma’s work has appeared in outlets such as The Los Angeles Times\, The New Yorker\, Harper’s Bazaar and Electric Literature. Her debut personal essay collection is The Way You Make Me Feel: Love in Black and Brown(Penguin Press 2024). The Washington Post praises\, “Sharma’s debut is remarkable for its daring\, how unafraid it is to eschew rosy visions of racial solidarity.” Nina received her MFA in writing from Columbia University’s School of the Arts and has been awarded residencies from Vermont Studio Center and  St. Nell’s Humor Writing Residency. Nina is formerly the Programs Director at the Asian American Writers’ Workshop and with Quincy Scott Jones she co-created Blackshop\, a column that thinks about allyship between BIPOC people\, featured on Anomaly. A two-time Asian Women Giving Circle grantee for her workshop\, “No Name Mind: Stories of Mental Health from Asian America\,” she currently teaches at Barnard College and the Manhattanville University MFA in writing program. She is a proud co-founder of the comedy troupe Not Your Biwi Improv.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/book-talk-mud-on-the-moon-by-nita-noveno/
LOCATION:Yu and Me Books\, 44 Mulberry St.\, New York\, NY\, 10013\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261002T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261002T193000
DTSTAMP:20260823T034455Z
CREATED:20260720T081504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260823T034455Z
UID:10002897-1790964000-1790969400@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Koreatown\, NYC: The Consumption of a Transnational Brand
DESCRIPTION:This book explores how Manhattan’s Koreatown transformed into a “transclave”—a commercialized ethnic hub driven by South Korea’s global nation-branding strategy and the diverse cultural mosaic of New York City.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/koreatown-nyc-the-consumption-of-a-transnational-brand/
LOCATION:Asian American / Asian Research Institute – CUNY\, 25 West 43rd Street\, Room 1000\, New York\, NY\, 10036\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T200000
DTSTAMP:20260915T012237Z
CREATED:20260915T011224Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T012237Z
UID:10003378-1791054000-1791057600@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Book Talk | Korean Cocktails by Haera Shin
DESCRIPTION:ABOUT THE BOOK \nDiscover the rich heritage of Korea’s treasured traditional spirits and the bold new cocktails redefining their future. \nIn Korean Cocktails\, beverage director Haera Shin invites you into the vibrant world of Korea’s treasured traditional alcohols\, known collectively as sool. From soju\, the country’s best-known spirit\, to makgeolli rice wine\, these time-honored drinks carry centuries of craft and culture—and are now being reimagined by a new generation of makers and mixologists around the globe. \nFeaturing 76 inventive recipes\, Shin teams up with some of the most exciting bartenders in New York\, Los Angeles\, Seoul\, and Singapore to showcase the delicious diversity of sool alongside the complex flavors of the Korean pantry. The refreshing Hechi Highball highlights omija\, Korea’s five-flavor berry. The rich\, creamy Dalgona transforms the viral coffee sensation into an indulgent cocktail\, and the Nabak Soju captures the spice and funk of homemade kimchi. Alongside these originals\, you’ll find bold riffs on classics like the fiery K-Margarita\, nutty Sesame Manhattan\, and bright\, herbaceous Perilla Mojito\, plus large-format and zero-proof drinks to ensure there’s something for every occasion. Complete with striking color photographs and recipes for cordials\, syrups\, and infusions\, Korean Cocktails is a vibrant tribute to Korea’s drinking culture and a must-have for the modern bar. \n\nABOUT THE AUTHOR \nHaera Shin (@hairyshins) is the author of the upcoming cocktail book Korean Cocktails: From Traditional Spirits to Modern Drinks. Her cocktail book is a reflection of both her personal journey growing up as a Korean and her professional path in the beverage industry. She has served as the beverage director for the Momofuku restaurant group for the past seven years and prior to that\, as bar manager at acclaimed Japanese izakaya Zuma in New York City.  Now based in New Orleans\, she oversees the bar program at The Columns and is preparing to open her first bar next year. \nIN CONVERSATION WITH \nJoanna Lin is a multidisciplinary creative\, photographer\, and founder of STUDIO.JO\, a boutique creative studio specializing in storytelling for the bar and hospitality industry. With a career rooted in hospitality\, Joanna has led creative direction for award-winning bars including Employees Only\, Martiny’s\, and Shinji’s\, while collaborating with global spirits portfolios including Diageo\, Bacardi\, Suntory Global Spirits\, Pernod Ricard\, Campari\, Michter’s\, and more. Through her travel and lifestyle platform\, “Ready Set Jo” (@joanna.lin)\, she documents the people\, places\, and stories shaping cocktail culture around the world. A longtime observer and storyteller within the bar community\, Joanna brings a genuine curiosity about the craft\, culture\, and people behind every drink to conversations both behind and beyond the bar.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/book-talk-korean-cocktails-by-haera-shin/
LOCATION:Yu and Me Books\, 44 Mulberry St.\, New York\, NY\, 10013\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T123000
DTSTAMP:20260915T012136Z
CREATED:20260915T012136Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T012136Z
UID:10003379-1791113400-1791117000@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Meet & Greet | Sophia Lee Can Fly by Marie Tang
DESCRIPTION:ABOUT THE BOOK \nBubbly\, bobbly\, and bold Sophia Lee is always doing the opposite of what her grandparents want her to do! When she tries something new and a little bit scary\, Sophia learns that the support of her loved ones might just be what gives her courage. \nSophia Lee is messy where her grandparents are tidy. She’s rambunctious where her grandparents are calm. She’s always looking for an adventure where her grandparents are careful. When the circus comes to town\, Sophia decides that her next adventure will be to become a trapeze artist! Gong Gong and Po Po aren’t so sure-Sophia doesn’t eat enough vegetables! She might get hurt! So Sophia shows Gong Gong and Po Po just how tough she is and convinces them to let her try. But once Sophia gets to the trapeze school and sees just how tall the ladder is\, doubt begins to creep in. With a little encouragement\, Sophia is able to find her courage and learn what it takes to fly. \nABOUT THE AUTHOR \nCosmopolitan life defines Marie Tang in many ways. Born in Hong Kong\, raised in New York City\, and a resident of Shanghai for over a decade (before moving back to the States in 2020)\, she draws much of her inspiration from the unique characters and neon lights of the\n“Big City.” While teaching literacy to kindergarteners\, she recognized the correlation between reading aloud to children and future reading ability. She is dedicated to spreading this message to parents and caregivers. Marie proudly tells tales of grit\, tenacity\, compassion\, and Asian culture. She is the author of Yuna’s Cardboard Castles (Beaming Books)\, Baba’s Peach Tree (Random House Studio)\, and Sophia Lee Can Fly (Disney Hyperion) the first in a two-book series. Yuna’s Cardboard Castles was named a Virginia Readers’ Choice Book for 2025–2026. Her forthcoming books include The Big Jump (Random House Studio)\, arriving in summer 2027\, and the recently announced Belly Takes the Bus (Random House Studio).
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/meet-greet-sophia-lee-can-fly-by-marie-tang/
LOCATION:Yu and Me Books\, 44 Mulberry St.\, New York\, NY\, 10013\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261005T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261005T193000
DTSTAMP:20260827T233144Z
CREATED:20260827T233143Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T233144Z
UID:10003240-1791223200-1791228600@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Ming-Na Wen: Have You Eaten Yet? Book Tour
DESCRIPTION:I’m so excited to finally share my cookbook HAVE YOU EATEN YET?! After 3 years of pouring my heart into every recipe\, measuring out every ingredient\, and writing about these dishes that are so meaningful to my life\, it is finally available to you October 6th!! Please come out so I can meet you\, sign the cookbook\, & take photos with you! 🥰 Comment “TOUR” and I’ll send you the link to purchase tickets to the tour NOW or find it in the link in my bio!! \nI have included more than 70 of my favorite recipes—many are my family’s and our restaurant’s closely guarded secrets that I’m now happy to share with you all. (Don’t tell my mom!!) I believe the meals I’ve cooked has shaped who I am\, and sharing these dishes with others has kept me joyful and youthful! How wonderful is it that I now get to share them with you!? Thank you for being here with me as I continue this delicious journey. See you soon!
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/ming-na-wen-have-you-eaten-yet-book-tour/
LOCATION:Barnes & Noble Union Square\, 33 E 17th St.\, New York\, NY\, 10003\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261006T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261006T200000
DTSTAMP:20260825T032652Z
CREATED:20260817T043447Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260825T032652Z
UID:10003102-1791313200-1791316800@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Book Launch | Bad Words by Ríoghnach Robinson
DESCRIPTION:Where: New Design H.S.\, 350 Grand St.\, New York (Enter on Ludlow St.)\n\nDoors Open: 6:30PM\nEvent Starts: 7:00PM  \nABOUT THE BOOK \nA sharp and deeply felt debut about art\, ambition\, and the connections that both inspire and undo us. \nParker Navarro’s debut novel was meant to define his career – until critic Selina Chan’s blistering review made it the flop of the decade. Four years later\, his new book is his shot at redemption; for Selina\, reviewing him again is a professional risk she can’t refuse. When her second takedown ignites a viral feud\, both their fortunes shift overnight. But as the literary world feeds on their public sparring\, a quieter dialogue begins – one that challenges everything they thought they knew about success\, sincerity\, and each other. \nBoth incisive and tender\, Bad Words lays bare the costs of creation – the pull between ambition and integrity\, the vulnerability of being seen\, and the unexpected closeness that can grow in the space between critique and care. \nWhen words can make or break us\, how do you stay true to what matters most? \n“The rare kind of book I can’t believe doesn’t already exist . . . [a] clear\, clever voice and incisive social commentary elevate the book’s irresistible will-they-won’t-they romance to a once-in-a-lifetime read about truth\, art\, vulnerability\, and all the sticky places they intersect. BAD WORDS LEFT ME BUZZING.” – EMILY HENRY\, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Great Big Beautiful Life \n“A genre-redefining romance that sets a thrilling new standard… Easily one of my favourites of the year\, if not the decade.” – Carley Fortune\, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Our Perfect Storm \n“Full of blistering barbs\, incisive takedowns and searing gazes\, Bad Words is smart and propulsive.” – Mary H.K. Choi\, New York Times bestselling author of Pool House \n“Full of wit\, warmth\, and deliciously sharp observations on books and the people who love them… I didn’t want it to end.” – Stacey Yu\, author of Kitten \nABOUT THE AUTHOR \nRíoghnach (pronounced ree-uh-nock) Robinson grew up in North Carolina\, studied economics at Kenyon College\, and now lives in New York City. Her books for young readers\, including Lambda Award finalist Come Home to My Heart\, are published under the pen name Riley Redgate. She has also written for WEBTOON and The Onion\, America’s Finest News Source. You can find her on Instagram at @rioghnachrobinson. \nIN CONVERSATION WITH \nAnna Maria Volkova lives and works in New York City. Personal family histories from within the former Soviet Union and the Middle East inform her writing\, as do her professional experiences. Raised in the Pacific Northwest\, she studied history and political science. Games is her debut novel.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/book-launch-bad-words-by-rioghnach-robinson/
LOCATION:New Design High School\, 350 Grand Street\, 6th Floor\, New York\, NY\, 10002\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261007T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261007T200000
DTSTAMP:20260825T032940Z
CREATED:20260817T044248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260825T032940Z
UID:10003103-1791399600-1791403200@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Book Launch | The Girl Who Became King by Melissa King
DESCRIPTION:ABOUT THE BOOK \nFrom award-winning chef\, author\, television personality\, and activist Melissa King comes an intimate\, captivating memoir about family\, food\, and finding her voice as a queer Chinese American chef \nEmbracing my love of food has empowered me to embrace every layer of who I am: my Chinese heritage\, my American upbringing\, and all the parts of me that felt too much and not enough. When I chose myself\, I set her free. Just me. The girl who became king. \nAs a kid\, Melissa King lived for the moment she would come from elementary school\, grab her prized Chinese meat cleaver\, and prepare dinner for her family. She already knew cooking was her future\, but she didn’t know how hard she’d have to fight to make that dream a reality. \nGrowing up\, King felt like she was stuck in a box that was only getting smaller. Her Shanghainese and Cantonese immigrant parents had certain expectations—none of which included going to culinary school or falling in love with women. American culture also dictated that kitchens were a man’s world. But trying to live by these rules felt like no life at all. \nDetermined to forge her own path\, she fought her way into the demanding world of Michelin-starred kitchens\, while discovering a home in the queer community. When she entered Top Chef as a reluctant contestant\, inspired by her grandmother’s advice to follow her heart\, she began embracing the flavors\, culture\, and parts of herself she had once forgotten. This journey of self-discovery through food leads her back to her parents\, where love creates room for their strengths and imperfections. \nIn this heartfelt memoir\, Melissa King shows that empowerment comes from embracing all the different ingredients that make up who you are\, and models the hard-won courage it takes to believe in yourself against the odds. \nABOUT THE AUTHOR \nMelissa King is a James Beard Award-winning chef\, author\, and television personality. She is the author of the cookbook Cook Like a King: Recipes from My California Chinese Kitchen\, which won the 2026 James Beard Award. She is the winner and fan favorite of Bravo’s Top Chef: All Stars L.A. and holds the record for the most challenge wins in the show’s history. Known for her modern California Chinese cuisine\, she is a leading voice shaping conversations through food\, cultural storytelling\, and advocacy.  A queer Shanghainese Cantonese American\, she grew up in Los Angeles’s San Gabriel Valley. Her work has since taken her beyond the kitchen into television\, fashion\, and culture\, including hosting Tasting Wild for National Geographic\, curating the 2022 Met Gala menu\, and being featured in global campaigns for Levi’s and GAP. She lives in San Francisco.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/book-launch-the-girl-who-became-king-by-melissa-king/
LOCATION:New Design High School\, 350 Grand Street\, 6th Floor\, New York\, NY\, 10002\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261007T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261007T203000
DTSTAMP:20260904T234907Z
CREATED:20260904T234907Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260904T234907Z
UID:10003314-1791399600-1791405000@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:In Conversation: The Scarlet Ball by Nghi Vo
DESCRIPTION:Dungeon Books is excited to host Hugo Award-winning author @nghivowriting for the release of The Scarlet Ball\, an all-consuming tale of ballrooms and bloodshed that weds the Gilded Age with the Gothic vision of Guillermo del Toro. Joining Nghi in conversation is @readwithcindy\, author of The Secret World of Briar Rose! The evening will include a conversation\, audience Q&A\, book signing\, and photos. \n📅 Wednesday\, October 7\n📍 Welcome to Chinatown\, NYC \nRSVP required — limited spots. \nGeneral Admission Ticket includes book \nABOUT THE AUTHOR\nNghi Vo is the bestselling author of the novels Siren Queen\, The Chosen and the Beautiful\, and The City in Glass\, as well as the acclaimed novellas of the Singing Hills Cycle\, which began with The Empress of Salt and Fortune. Her work has been nominated for the Nebula\, Locus\, and Lambda Literary Awards and the LA Times and Ursula K. Le Guin Prizes\, and has won the Crawford\, Ignyte\, and Hugo Awards. Born in Illinois\, she now lives on the shores of Lake Michigan. She believes in the ritual of lipstick\, the power of stories\, and the right to change your mind. \nIN CONVERSATION WITH\nCindy Pham is a queer Vietnamese-American author of The Secret World of Briar Rose\, an instant #1 New York Times\, USA Today\, and Indie Bestseller. Based in New York City\, she works as a full-time designer while moonlighting as a fiction writer and content creator. Her YouTube channel\, Read With Cindy\, has amassed over half a million subscribers and focuses on books\, movie reactions\, and candid commentary. You can follow her across socials at @readwithcindy and readwithcindy.com.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/in-conversation-the-scarlet-ball-by-nghi-vo/
LOCATION:Welcome to Chinatown\, 115 Bowery\, New York\, NY\, 10002\, United States
CATEGORIES:Author Interview,Book,Discussion
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T190000
DTSTAMP:20260915T012603Z
CREATED:20260915T012603Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T012603Z
UID:10003380-1791482400-1791486000@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Book Talk | The Original Daughter by Jemimah Wei
DESCRIPTION:ABOUT THE BOOK \n\nIn this dazzling debut\, Stegner Fellow Jemimah Wei explores the formation and dissolution of family bonds in a story of ambition and sisterhood in turn-of-the-millennium Singapore. \nBefore Arin\, Genevieve Yang was an only child. Living with her parents and grandmother in a single-room flat in working-class Bedok\, Genevieve is saddled with an unexpected sibling when Arin appears\, the shameful legacy of a grandfather long believed to be dead. As the two girls grow closer\, they must navigate the intensity of life in a place where the urgent insistence on achievement demands constant sacrifice. Knowing that failure is not an option\, the sisters learn to depend entirely on one another as they spurn outside friendships\, leisure\, and any semblance of a social life in pursuit of academic perfection and passage to a better future. \nWhen a stinging betrayal violently estranges Genevieve and Arin\, Genevieve must weigh the value of ambition versus familial love\, home versus the outside world\, and allegiance to herself versus allegiance to the people who made her who she is. In the story of a family and its contention with the roiling changes of our rapidly modernizing\, winner-take-all world\, The Original Daughter is a major literary debut\, rife with emotional clarity and searing social insight. \n\nABOUT THE AUTHOR \nJemimah Wei was born and raised in Singapore and splits her time between Singapore and the United States. She is a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 Honoree\, is a winner of the William Van Dyke Short Story Prize\, and formerly held the Wallace Stegner Fellowship and Felipe P. De Alba Fellowship at Stanford University and Columbia University\, respectively. Her highly anticipated debut novel\, The Original Daughter\, debuted at #1 on The Straits Times bestseller list and is a Good Morning America Book Club pick and a New York Times Editors’ Choice. The Original Daughter is a Country Award Winner of the Chommanard International Women’s Literary Award\, was longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award\, and was named a Best Book of Spring by TIME\, Harper’s Bazaar\, Elle\, Vogue\, and more. \nIN CONVERSATION WITH \nVanessa Chan is the Malaysian author of the internationally bestselling novel THE STORM WE MADE\, a Good Morning America Book Club Pick\, BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick\, New York Times Editors’ Choice\, and named best book of the year by NPR\, Amazon\, Elle\, Goodreads\, and more — about the unlikeliest of spies — a discontent mother and wife in 1930s British Malaya who\, in becoming a spy for the Japanese\, unwittingly ushers in the most violent war her country has ever seen. The Storm We Made has been translated into more than twenty languages worldwide.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/book-talk-the-original-daughter-by-jemimah-wei/
LOCATION:Yu and Me Books\, 44 Mulberry St.\, New York\, NY\, 10013\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://potluckasianamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/JemimahWei-copy.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261015T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261015T200000
DTSTAMP:20260915T013228Z
CREATED:20260915T013035Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T013228Z
UID:10003381-1792090800-1792094400@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Book Launch | Taiwanese? by Eric Sze
DESCRIPTION:ABOUT THE BOOK \n\n75 recipes tell the story of Taiwanese cuisine\, with essays\, itineraries\, and stunning photography that explore Taiwan’s vibrant food culture. \n\n\nAn exhilarating exploration of Taiwanese food in all its complexity and deliciousness\, with over 70 recipes.     \nEric Sze\, a chef and restaurateur in New York City\, explores what makes Taiwanese food so multi-faceted and idiosyncratic with co-author Elyse Inamine. He travels back to Taiwan to unpack the dishes he grew up eating in Taipei\, like Lu Rou Fan and Oyster Omelet\, as well as gives an inside look at the method and madness behind the recipes he’s made in restaurants\, at pop-ups\, and at home in New York City\, like Beef Noodle Soup Ragù and Mochi Gnocchi with Chili Oil Pumpkin Puree. \n\nA new take on Taiwanese cuisine: Eric combines his deep knowledge of Taiwanese cuisine with his experimental approach to cooking\, creating dishes that he calls “authentically inauthentic.”\nPersonal storytelling: Follow Eric’s journey from a food-obsessed kid in Taipei to his evolution into a chef and restaurateur in New York City. \nArmchair travel: Discover the best bowls of Lu Rou Fan in Taipei and beyond\, as well as essays and itineraries that transport you to the island’s incredible food scene.\nStunning visuals: Photography by Alex Lau captures the kinetic energy of Taiwan’s beer houses and bustling markets and Eric’s pop-ups and restaurants in New York.\n\nTaiwanese? is a rowdy celebration of the richness and depth of Taiwanese food\, in all its contradictions and complexities. \n\nABOUT THE AUTHOR \nEric Sze is the chef and co-owner of Wen-wen and 886 in New York City. Born and raised in Taipei\, Eric taught himself how to cook—and in turn learned about where he comes from\, where it’s going\, and how all that forms him. In 2021\, he was recognized as an Eater New Guard and later received two stars for Wenwen from the New York Times. Now Eric is publishing his first cookbook (this one!)\, and you can follow him through @esze.e on TikTok\, Instagram\, and YouTube as he continues to explore and examine Taiwanese food.\nHeadshot by Alex Lau. \nIN CONVERSATION WITH \nElyse Inamine is a writer and editor in New York City. Previously\, she was the restaurant editor Bon Appétit\, where she first collaborated with Eric on a hot pot primer that was nominated for a James Beard media award. These days\, Elyse writes for the New York Times\, TASTE\, Food & Wine\, and Bon Appétit\, and is working on a couple more cookbooks (you can follow her on Instagram at @elyseinamine). Once she found out about this cookbook\, she immediately texted Eric to ask if he had a co-author—and the rest is history.\nHeadshot by Heami Lee.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/book-launch-taiwanese-by-eric-sze/
LOCATION:Chatham Square Library – NYPL\, 33 East Broadway\, New York\, NY\, 10002
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://potluckasianamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/EricSze-copy.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T160000
DTSTAMP:20260821T135541Z
CREATED:20260821T135240Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260821T135541Z
UID:10003176-1792242000-1792252800@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Celebrate the Book Launch of "All You Need is Balle Balle" by Sarina Jain
DESCRIPTION:An inspirational memoir that shows readers they have nothing to lose and much to gain by moving to the front of the classroom of life! \n\n\nJoin us for an unforgettable afternoon with Sarina Jain as she celebrates the launch of her debut book\, All You Need Is Balle Balle: How Movement Became My Superpower. \nKnown around the world as the creator of Masala Bhangra®\, Sarina has spent more than 25 years inspiring people of all ages and backgrounds through the joyful fusion of Bhangra\, Bollywood\, and fitness. Her high-energy movement has built a global community rooted in culture\, wellness\, and connection—and now she’s sharing the remarkable story behind it all. \nMore than a book launch\, this is an interactive celebration of resilience\, identity\, and the power of movement. Guests will enjoy a lively conversation with Sarina\, audience Q&A\, special live performances\, an interactive Masala Bhangra experience\, and a book signing. \nWhether you’ve danced with Sarina for years or are discovering her story for the first time\, you’ll leave inspired\, energized\, and ready to embrace your own superpower. \nSATURDAY\, OCTOBER 17\nTHE MAISON PROJECT\n229 W. 28th St. • New York City\n1:00–4:00 PM \nJOIN US FOR AN AFTERNOON OF:\nBook celebration\nDocumentary screening\nConversation & Q&A\nMasala Bhangra performance\nBook signing & photos \nTicketing details: \n\nThe $17.99 Book Bundle (+ taxes and fees) includes a signed copy of All You Need Is Balle Balle and admission to the event.\nGeneral Admission is $12 without the book.\nIf you already have the book\, just bring it with you and receive free admission.\n\nIn partnership with P&T Knitwear!
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/celebrate-the-book-launch-of-all-you-need-is-balle-balle-by-sarina-jain/
LOCATION:The Maison Projects\, 229 West 28th Street\, #11th Floor\, New York\, NY\, 10001\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261020T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261020T190000
DTSTAMP:20260915T013722Z
CREATED:20260915T013722Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T013722Z
UID:10003382-1792519200-1792522800@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Book Launch | Needlemouth by K-Ming Chang
DESCRIPTION:ABOUT THE BOOK \nFrom the award-winning author of Bestiary\, three cousins are forced to complete an impossible and violent task set by a vengeful demon. \nCousins Cindy\, Yangyang\, and Mandy’s hot\, tedious summer unfolds in their grandmother’s hauntingly familiar house. Mandy\, the eldest\, seeks connection online and exchanges emails with a stranger. Yangyang\, the youngest\, retreats into her own imagination in search of meaning. But every morning Cindy wakes with strange objects in her mouth: a button\, a berry\, a coin. \nOne night\, a starved figure with a mouth the size of a needle-tip appears at Cindy’s bedside. She is hunger-afflicted\, a demon with no descendants to feed from: she is Needlemouth. Part vampire\, part hungry ghost\, Needlemouth forces the girls into a grim task to end a man’s life. \nCindy\, Yangyang\, and Mindy are plunged in and out of the demon realm\, where they are called to break out of the indifference and numbness of their claustrophobic worlds\, and where they are met with the most rageful and resistant parts of themselves. In a quest to satisfy the demon’s hunger\, they unravel their shared grief and reckon with the cyclical violence that shaped their family. For readers of Akwaeke Emezi and Carmen Maria Machado\, K-Ming Chang has crafted a reimagined coming of age novel that asks: what does it mean to become the monster instead of slaying it? \nABOUT THE AUTHOR \nK-Ming Chang is a Lambda Literary Award winner\, a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree\, a Kundiman Fellow\, and an O. Henry Prize Winner. She is the author of the novel BESTIARY (One World/Random House\, 2020)\, which was shortlisted for the Faulkner Award and longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize\, the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award\, and the Otherwise Award. In 2021\, her chapbook BONE HOUSE was published by Bull City Press. Her story collection GODS OF WANT (One World/Random House) won a Lambda Literary Award\, and her books have been translated into Spanish\, Chinese\, Korean\, German\, Turkish\, and other languages. Her most recent books are ORGAN MEATS (One World\, 2023) and a novella titled CECILIA (Coffee House Press\, 2024). In 2026\, she will be making her YA debut with STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE\, a romance forthcoming from Holiday House\, and her second YA project\, a novel-in-verse titled GIRL GODS\, will be forthcoming from Kokila (Penguin Random House) in 2027. Her writing is most frequently described as “not for everybody” and occasionally described as “for the freaks.” \nIN CONVERSATION WITH \nAlice Evelyn Yang is a Chinese American writer from Norfolk\, Virginia based in New York. Her debut novel\, A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing\, is out now from William Morrow and DeadInk Books. Her shorter work is published in Michigan Quarterly Review\, Apogee\, The Rumpus\, and AAWW’s The Margins\, among others. She is the recipient of the 2022-23 Jesmyn Ward Prize from MQR. Her work explores themes of environmental racism\, immigration\, intergenerational trauma\, and critical fabulation. She is at work on a second novel.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/book-launch-needlemouth-by-k-ming-chang/
LOCATION:Yu and Me Books\, 44 Mulberry St.\, New York\, NY\, 10013\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://potluckasianamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/K-MingChang-copy.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261021T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261021T203000
DTSTAMP:20260915T015016Z
CREATED:20260915T014714Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T015016Z
UID:10003383-1792611000-1792614600@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Na Zhong with Rachel Heng
DESCRIPTION:Na Zhong presents Three\nIn conversation with Rachel Heng\nWine reception to follow \nNa Zhong\, writer\, translator\, and co-founder of Accent Accent\, presents her debut novella Three\, an expansive yet personal story of a prideful teacher\, her husband\, their quietly rebellious daughter\, and a town changed by the breakneck pressures of modernization. “A story of recent China but also a universal tale of young women’s emancipation\, Three is a taut and nuanced excavation of maternal love\, family bond\, and the cost of ambition and change\,” (Yiyun Li\, author of The Book of Goose)—for fans of Annie Ernaux’s The Years. Zhong reads and discusses the book with award-winning novelist Rachel Heng (The Great Reclamation)\, before an audience Q&A and signing.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/book-launch-three-by-na-zhong/
LOCATION:Greenlight Bookstore\, 686 Fulton Street\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11217\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://potluckasianamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Na-Zhong-2-copy.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261023T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261023T193000
DTSTAMP:20260823T032949Z
CREATED:20260720T081505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260823T032949Z
UID:10002898-1792778400-1792783800@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Livonia Chow Mein: A Novel
DESCRIPTION:Author Abigail Savitch-Lew will discuss her debut novel Livonia Chow Mein — a gripping\, four-generation saga set in Brownsville\, Brooklyn\, centered on a Chinese family-owned restaurant and its deep roots in a neighborhood shaped by waves of immigrant and working-class communities.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/livonia-chow-mein-a-novel/
LOCATION:Asian American / Asian Research Institute – CUNY\, 25 West 43rd Street\, Room 1000\, New York\, NY\, 10036\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261027T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261027T193000
DTSTAMP:20260910T212603Z
CREATED:20260910T212600Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T212603Z
UID:10003337-1793124000-1793129400@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Marie Lu discusses & signs MORTAL THINGS
DESCRIPTION:Bestselling author Marie Lu is back with another exciting young adult fantasy novel Mortal Things. On a journey to save her best friend\, Rose Lin Fairchild is forced to test her abilities against the gods and unravel the truth of the immortal world. How far is Rose willing to go? If you loved her Legend series\, then you’re going to want to pick up Mortal Things. \nMarie Lu will be joining us for an exciting discussion and book signing to celebrate the upcoming release. Call (516)741-9850 to reserve your spot with our booksellers.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/marie-lu-discusses-signs-mortal-things/
LOCATION:Barnes & Noble Carle Place\, 91 Old Country Road\, Carle Place\, NY\, 11514\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://potluckasianamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Marie-Lu-copy.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261027T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261027T200000
DTSTAMP:20260902T223220Z
CREATED:20260902T223103Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260902T223220Z
UID:10003302-1793124000-1793131200@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Hand Taste: Cook Like a Korean Grandmother with Esther Choi
DESCRIPTION:We all know cooks whose fingertips seem to infuse every meal with deliciousness. In Korean\, that magic touch is called sohn-mat\, or “hand taste”―but you don’t have to be born with it. Esther Choi picked hers up from her halmoni\, or grandmother\, who used her hands for everything from smearing cabbage with pepper paste to make kimchi to crumbling tofu for mandu (dumpling) filling and tossing vibrantly flavored noodles for japchae. \nHand taste starts with seasoning but ultimately describes a way of cooking rooted in heritage\, intuition\, and heart. In her hotly anticipated debut cookbook Hand Taste: Cook Like a Korean Grandmother Choi offers delicious entry points to Korean and Korean-American cuisine\, with foundational techniques alongside quick weeknight recipes and show-stopping traditional spreads. \nIn her conversation with Eric Kim\, Esther Choi will discuss her career and her debut cookbook. \nPre-order your copy of Hand Taste: Cook Like a Korean Grandmother here.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/hand-taste-cook-like-a-korean-grandmother-with-esther-choi/
LOCATION:The Korea Society\, 350 Madison Avenue\, 24th Floor\, New York\, NY\, 10017
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion,Food
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261028T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261028T200000
DTSTAMP:20260814T045236Z
CREATED:20260814T045236Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260814T045236Z
UID:10003086-1793212200-1793217600@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Emily Feng: Uyghurs in Syria
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a timely conversation with NPR journalist Emily Feng on her groundbreaking new book Our Hearts Burned for Home: Uyghur Militants in Syria’s Civil War (Columbia Global Reports\, October 2026)\, an extraordinary work of reportage tracing one of the most surprising and consequential stories to emerge from the global war on terror. \nDrawing on years of reporting across China\, Central Asia\, Turkey and the Middle East\, Feng uncovers the little-known journey of Uyghur families and militants who fled China’s intensifying surveillance state and mass repression in Xinjiang\, seeking refuge abroad. For many\, escape did not bring safety. Instead\, exile led them into the chaos of the Syrian Civil War\, where some Uyghur militants became an unexpected and influential force in the conflict that helped reshape the region and contributed to the eventual collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Through intimate storytelling and sharp geopolitical analysis\, Feng reveals how displacement\, statelessness and repression can reverberate far beyond national borders. \nAt once deeply human and urgently political\, Our Hearts Burned for Home challenges conventional narratives about extremism\, migration and resistance. It asks difficult questions about belonging\, radicalization and the global consequences of authoritarian rule\, while centering the voices of people whose stories have too often been ignored. \nCopies of Our Hearts Burned for Home will be on sale\, with the author available to sign them. \nFeng will be joined in conversation by New York Times journalist Michael Forsythe\, and the event is presented by China Books Review\, a digital magazine of reviews\, essays\, profiles and more — follow their newsletter for event postings and discounts. \nEmily Feng is an award-winning correspondent for NPR covering China\, Taiwan and beyond\, reporting on everything from semiconductors to drones\, environmental wastelands to girl bands. Formerly based in Beijing and Taipei\, she now lives in Washington D.C. Feng is the author of Our Hearts Burned for Home (2026) and Let Only Red Flowers Bloom (2025). \nMichael Forsythe is an American journalist. He is an investigative reporter for The New York Times\, and was formerly Beijing correspondent for Bloomberg News in the 2010s. Forsythe is the coauthor with Henry Sanderson of China’s Superbank (2013).
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/emily-feng-uyghurs-in-syria/
LOCATION:Asia Society\, 725 Park Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10021
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261030T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261030T193000
DTSTAMP:20260823T033729Z
CREATED:20260720T081506Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260823T033729Z
UID:10002899-1793383200-1793388600@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:An American Meo: A Tale of Remembering and Forgetting
DESCRIPTION:Author Anisa Rahim will discuss her book\, An American Meo\, a hybrid work of nonfiction\, fiction\, and myth that explores identity\, heritage\, and the weight of generational memory.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/an-american-meo-a-tale-of-remembering-and-forgetting/
LOCATION:Asian American / Asian Research Institute – CUNY\, 25 West 43rd Street\, Room 1000\, New York\, NY\, 10036\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261030T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261030T200000
DTSTAMP:20260814T045637Z
CREATED:20260814T045637Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260814T045637Z
UID:10003087-1793385000-1793390400@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Adrift in the South: China's Migrant Literature
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a lively conversation on the rise of China’s migrant worker literature\, bringing the voices and lived experiences of the country’s vast internal migrant population into the literary mainstream. \nWe will be joined by Xiao Hai\, author of Adrift in the South (Granta\, April 2026)\, a gripping autobiographical account of his 23 years as a migrant laborer\, as well as its translator Tony Hao. In the book\, Xiao recounts working 17 different jobs across seven cities in China\, moving through factories\, construction sites and service-sector work in search of survival and dignity. His story captures not only the physical exhaustion and precarity of migrant labor\, but also the resilience\, solidarity and hard-won moments of humanity that emerge amid relentless economic pressures. \nAs migrant worker writing gains increasing recognition both within China and internationally\, Adrift in the South offers a vital lens into questions of class\, mobility\, inequality and belonging in contemporary Chinese society. Together with other recently translated works\, such as Hu Anyan’s Delivering Parcels in Beijing\, this genre offers an unflinching portrait of the people who have powered China’s economic transformation while often remaining socially and culturally marginalized. The discussion will explore the emergence of worker literature as both a literary movement and a form of social testimony\, examining how personal narrative can illuminate broader structural realities. \nCopies of Adrift in the South will be on sale\, with the author available to sign them. \nThe event is presented by China Books Review\, a digital magazine of reviews\, essays\, profiles and more — follow their newsletter for event postings and discounts. \nXiao Hai is a Chinese poet and writer. Having worked as a migrant laborer for many years\, he was also a long-standing member of the Picun Writers’ Collective in Beijing. He is the author of Adrift in the South (2026)\, translated by Tony Hao. He lives in Beijing. \nTony Hao is a Chinese-to-English literary translator and writer. He is the translator of Adrift in the South (2026) by Xiao Hai\, as well as Tong Wei-Ger\, Ban Yu\, and others. His short-form translations have appeared in Granta\, The Wall Street Journal and elsewhere. Hao is based in New Haven.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/adrift-in-the-south-chinas-migrant-literature/
LOCATION:Asia Society\, 725 Park Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10021
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://potluckasianamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2026.10.30-Xiaohai-copy.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261120T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261120T200000
DTSTAMP:20260911T213646Z
CREATED:20260911T213646Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T213646Z
UID:10003344-1795199400-1795204800@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:Jung Chang: My Life After China
DESCRIPTION:Join us at Asia Society⁠ for a special conversation with Jung Chang\, the internationally acclaimed author of the multimillion-copy bestseller Wild Swans\, as she discusses her powerful new memoir\, Fly\, Wild Swans: My Mother\, Myself\, and China (Harper\, January 2026). Moderated by New Yorker staff writer Jiayang Fan\, this event offers a rare opportunity to hear from one of the most influential chroniclers of modern Chinese history and memory. \nIn Fly\, Wild Swans\, Chang returns to the themes that made Wild Swans a landmark work\, while charting a deeply personal new chapter. The memoir intertwines two lives separated by geography but bound by history: Chang’s own journey after leaving China in 1978 to begin a new life abroad\, and the story of her mother\, who remained behind as China entered a period of profound transformation. Across continents and decades\, mother and daughter navigate distance\, longing\, and the lasting emotional consequences of political upheaval. \nWith her signature clarity and narrative force\, Chang reflects on exile\, belonging and the enduring pull of home. The book mirrors the ups and downs of China’s transformation from an isolated state to a world power\, illuminating the human dimensions of China’s dramatic social and political changes in the late twentieth century. Through personal memory and historical reflection\, Fly\, Wild Swans explores what it means to leave a country without ever fully leaving its past behind. \nCopies of Fly\, Wild Swans will be on sale\, with the author available to sign them. \nJung Chang is the bestselling author of Wild Swans\, Mao: the Unknown Story (co-written with Jon Halliday)\, Empress Dowager Cixi\, Big Sister\, Little Sister\, Red Sister\, and most recently Fly\, Wild Swans (2026). She was born in China in 1952\, moved to England in 1978\, and has been awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for services to literature and history. She lives in London with her husband. \nJiayang Fan is a Chinese-American journalist and staff writer for The New Yorker since 2016. She was born in Chongqing and immigrated to the United States at the age of seven. Her works include cultural and political commentary\, personal history\, and food critique. She published her first book Motherland in 2024.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/jung-chang-my-life-after-china/
LOCATION:Asia Society\, 725 Park Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10021
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261209T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261209T210000
DTSTAMP:20260825T032839Z
CREATED:20260817T045206Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260825T032839Z
UID:10003104-1796842800-1796850000@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:An Evening with Min Jin Lee | Fundraiser for New Life Community Development
DESCRIPTION:This event is benefiting New Life Community Development Corporation\, a 501c3 nonprofit serving low income individuals in Elmhurst and Corona. \nDoors open at 6:30! \nJoin Min Jin Lee in conversation with Lucy Yu in the bestselling author’s very own hometown of Elmhurst\, NY\, to celebrate the arrival of her latest novel American Hagwon\, and to fundraise for an Elmhurst-based non-profit. \nTicket price will include a signed copy and a donation to New Life Community Development Corporation\, a 501c3 organization serving low income individuals in Elmhurst and Corona with a food pantry\, health center\, financial literacy\, and social emotional wellness programming. \n10% of each purchased copy of American Hagwon will also be donated towards New Life Community Development Corporation. \nABOUT THE BOOK \nThe National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author of Pachinko returns with a breathtaking contemporary epic: a masterpiece by turns sweeping and intimate\, that reckons with ambition and moderation\, lust and loyalty\, personal dreams and familial duty. \nMin Jin Lee brings grand ambition\, fierce heart\, and the tenderest hope to a novel I didn’t want to end.” —Roxane Gay\, bestselling author of Bad Feminist and Hunger \nIn schools and churches\, hotel rooms and nail salons\, law firms and fried-fish shops; in cramped\, dingy apartments and luxury\, gated communities\, the men\, women\, and children in American Hagwon struggle to find satisfaction and meaning in a world that seems to grow less forgiving with each passing year. Once comfortably middle class in Korea\, John and Helen Koh and their three children—Bo\, DH\, and Mido—find their lives upended\, first by a shocking betrayal by John’s oldest friend\, then by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. \nDesperately striving to regain their footing\, they leave Seoul for Sydney and eventually settle in Southern California—where new vistas of opportunity open up for the children as their parents\, strangers in a strange land\, must adjust to a new life in which their experience and education mean little\, and they set their sights on whatever it takes to provide for their children’s futures. The Kohs\, their friends\, relatives\, and even their foes move in and out of each other’s lives as they navigate new courses across the years\, always nursing the almost all-consuming faith that education will lead the next generation to success and security. \nIn American Hagwon\, Min Jin Lee has crafted an unforgettable\, panoramic novel where the smallest of gestures can have enormous repercussions\, where the bonds of family and of memory twist and fray but rarely break\, and where willful self-sacrifice—for the benefit of loved ones and even strangers—is a kind of prayer. \nABOUT THE AUTHOR \nMin Jin Lee was born in Seoul\, South Korea and immigrated to Queens\, New York with her family when she was seven years old. She is a writer whose award-winning fiction explores the intersection of race\, ethnicity\, immigration\, class\, religion\, gender\, and identity of a diasporic people. \nLee’s debut novel Free Food for Millionaires (2007) was a Top 10 Books of the Year for The Times of London\, NPR’s Fresh Air\, USA Today\, and a national bestseller. Pachinko\, her second novel\, is an epic story which follows a Korean family who migrates to Japan; it is the first novel written for an adult\, English-speaking audience about the Korean-Japanese people. Pachinko was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction\, runner-up for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize\, winner of the Medici Book Club Prize\, a New York Times 10 Best Books of 2017\, and is one of Kirkus Review’s Best Books of the 21st Century (So Far). A New York Times Bestseller\, Pachinko was also a Top 10 Books of the Year for the BBC\, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation\, and the New York Public Library. Pachinko was a selection for “Now Read This\,” the joint book club of PBS NewsHour and The New York Times. It was on over 75 best books of the year lists\, including NPR\, PBS\, and CNN. Pachinko has been translated into over 35 languages and is an international bestseller. President Barack Obama selected Pachinko for his recommended reading list\, calling it\, “a powerful story about resilience and compassion.” In 2024 Pachinko (#15) was named one of the New York Times Book Review’s 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. \nIN CONVERSATION WITH \nLucy Yu is a writer and multi-disciplinary artist living in Brooklyn\, New York. She is also the owner of Yu & Me Books in Manhattan’s Chinatown\, the first queer Asian American bookstore in New York City. Yu & Me Books specializes in immigrant stories\, writers of color\, and historically marginalized experiences. \nAbout the New Life Community Development Corporation \nFounded in 1994 by members of New Life Fellowship Church\, New Life Community Development Corporation seeks to serve the poor and marginalized in Elmhurst and Corona\, NY. New Life CDC envisions a neighborhood where every neighbor has the financial\, emotional\, and social resources to thrive\, and every neighbor is valued and recognized as worthy\, capable\, and deserving of investment and support. Annually\, New Life CDC serves over 1\,400 children\, youth\, adults\, and senior neighbors through culturally and linguistically accessible programs and services. New Life CDC’s programs provide relief\, cultivate restoration\, deepen relationships and model reinvestment with neighbors across the spectrum of poverty\, including those experiencing food or housing insecurity\, uninsured community members\, undocumented day laborers living on the streets\, survivors of domestic violence\, and working class families. Its core programs include a food and clothing pantry\, health center\, financial empowerment programs\, and social emotional wellness programs for low-income families at local schools and shelters.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/an-evening-with-min-jin-lee-fundraiser-for-new-life-community-development/
LOCATION:New Life Community Development Corporation\, 82-10 Queens Boulevard\, Elmhurst\, NY\, 11373\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion,Fundraiser
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261212T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261212T203000
DTSTAMP:20260710T190059Z
CREATED:20260710T190059Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260710T190059Z
UID:10002829-1797102000-1797107400@potluckasianamerica.org
SUMMARY:American Hagwon: A Conversation with Min Jin Lee
DESCRIPTION:Join internationally acclaimed author Min Jin Lee for a special evening celebrating the release of her highly anticipated new novel\, American Hagwon. \nFrom the bestselling author of Pachinko comes an epic\, deeply moving saga that follows a Korean family across Seoul\, Sydney\, and California’s Orange County from 1992 to 2007. Through the lives of the Koh family and those around them\, Lee explores the pursuit of opportunity\, the pressures of academic achievement\, the impact of economic upheaval\, and the enduring bonds between parents and children. \nAt the heart of the novel is the world of the hagwon—Korea’s private education system and a powerful symbol of ambition\, sacrifice\, and social mobility. As fortunes rise and fall against the backdrop of the Asian financial crisis and the Korean diaspora experience\, American Hagwon asks timeless questions about identity\, success\, family\, and what ultimately makes a good life. In this special live conversation\, Min Jin Lee will discuss the inspiration behind her sweeping new novel\, her creative process\, and the themes that have made her one of the most important literary voices of our time. A book signing will follow the program. \nDon’t miss this rare opportunity to hear from the celebrated author of Pachinko as she introduces her most ambitious work yet. \nTickets: $15 + fees (Event Ticket Only); $45 + fees (Event Ticket + Copy of American Hagwon\, Pick-Up at Kew & Willow Books in Kew Gardens); $51 + fees (Event Ticket + Copy of American Hagwon\, U.S. Shipping Included). \nBook pick-up and shipping will begin on September 29\, 2026\, the official publication date of American Hagwon. Limited signed editions by Min Jin Lee available—don’t wait\, order now! \nPlease note that discounts on tickets are only available for Queens College students. With a valid QC student ID\, Queens College students receive 50% off the Event Ticket. The student discount is available for in-person purchases at the KCA Box Office only. Students may also purchase the Event Ticket + Book Pick-Up option; though the 50% discount applies to the Event Ticket portion only. Instead of picking up the book at Kew & Willow Books\, Queens College students will receive their book at Colden Auditorium on the day of the event. \nFor any additional questions\, please contact our Box Office at (718) 793-8080.
URL:https://potluckasianamerica.org/event/american-hagwon-a-conversation-with-min-jin-lee/
LOCATION:Queens College – Colden Auditorium\, 153-49 Reeves Avenue\, Flushing\, NY\, 11367
CATEGORIES:Book,Discussion
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