Author Visit: Lisa See, Lady Tan's Circle of Women (2023)



Meet New York Times bestselling author Lisa See in conversation with Anna Katsavos as they discuss See's latest novel, Lady Tan's Circle of Women (2023). Inspired by the true story of a female physician from fifteenth century China, See's new book is sure to appeal to fans of her other historical fictions including Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, and The Island of Sea Women. The story centers around Tan Yunxian who is raised by her aristocratic grandmother, one of a handful of female doctors in China. While learning the pillars of Chinese medicine to treat women's ailments, Yunxian befriends Meiling, a young midwife-in-training. The two girls vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other’s joys and struggles. But when Yunxian is sent into an arranged marriage, her mother-in-law forbids her from seeing Meiling and from helping the women and girls in the household. Yunxian is expected to behave as a proper wife, embroidering bound-foot slippers, playing musical instruments, reciting poetry, and giving birth to sons, all within the confines of the family compound, the Garden of Fragrant Delights. Follow Yunxian's efforts to break with tradition and forge her own path despite strict protocol for a highborn woman’s behavior and responsibilities. Pair this course with the book discussion led by Anna Katsavos, (Course 12049), also in the fall schedule. Separate registration is required.



Monday, September 11 • 1:00pm-2:00pm • Online • Course 12048 • $25

Editor Visit: Michael Reynolds, a Peak Behind the Page

Meet Michael Reynolds, Editor-in-chief of Europa Editions, an independent publishing company founded in 2005 and perhaps known best for the widely popular Elena Ferrante Neapolitan series and most recently The Postcard, by Anne Berest. The Europa catalog is eclectic, reflecting the founders’ belief that dialogue between nations and cultures is of vital importance and that this exchange is facilitated by literature chosen not only for its ability to entertain and fascinate but also to inform and enlighten. Hear Reynolds’s perspectives on trends in the publishing industry, up and coming new authors, soon to be published titles, and more.

Wednesday, September 20 • 1:00pm-2:30pm • Scarsdale Public Library • Course 12040 • $30

Author Visit: JJ Elliott, There Are No Rules for This (2023)

Meet author JJ Elliott in conversation with Anna Katsavos as they discuss Elliott's debut novel, There Are No Rules for This (2023), which is garnering significant press. The novel draws readers into a deeply affecting story of friendship, loss, guilt, healing, and forgiveness surrounding Liddy, Max, Ali, and Feeney, four adults who had celebrated, comforted, and commiserated with one another in Sonoma, California. Narrated from Ali's perspective, the story begins with Feeney's suicide and progresses through aftershocks while continually flashing back to memorable incidents over the course of the women's friendship. Interweaving moments of hilarity with expressions of profound grief, the novel offers glimpses of what drove Feeney to take her own life through comments that her friends dismissed and passages in the diary she kept. When the novel closes, the reasons Feeney did not seek help from her friends and felt unable to go on living remain a mystery. What shines out, however, is the value of Feeney’s life and her ongoing gift to the women she loved. Pair this course with the book discussion led by Anna Katsavos, (Course 12249), also in the fall schedule. Separate registration is required.

Tuesday, November 14 • 1:00pm-2:30pm • Online • Course 12244 • $30