Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
By Lisa See, read by Janet Song
Listening Library
China past and present is the vibrant setting for many wonderful novels available on audio. “Snow Flower” is about the longtime friendship between two 19th Century girls. Between foot binding and arranged marriages, they have little control over their lives. But they do have nu shu, a secret “women’s writing” that allows the friends to communicate on beautiful fans. Lisa See’s novel is a richly detailed ode to this nearly lost art. Here are other novels that illuminate Chinese culture:
The Bonesetter’s Daughter
By Amy Tan, read by the author and Joan Chen
New Millennium Audio
Amy Tan and narrator Joan Chen take turns reading, deftly playing the parts of daughter and mother whose troubled relationship is enhanced by exploration of the past.
Empress Orchid
By Anchee Min, narrated by Alexandra O’Karma
Recorded Books
A fabulous historical novel about a poor girl who implausibly became the Manchu Dynasty’s last empress by becoming a concubine, marrying the emperor and bearing his only son.
Mr. Muo’s Travelling Couch
By Dai Sijie, read by B.D. Wong
Random House Audio
A witty tale about a psychoanalyst’s return home to China, by the author of “Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress.” B.D. Wong’s enthusiastic reading makes this a charming listen.
