The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

The story begins small, plunging us into the immersive detail of a single grueling day picking tea with the young girl, Li-yan, her mother, A-ma, and the rest of their ethnic minority Akha familyWhat makes life bearable for the Akha is their belief system, which infuses every aspect of their daily lives. The full sweep of their practices is flawlessly embedded in Sees proseThe hardships that confront Li-yan in her life are as compelling as the fog-shrouded secret groves where she and her mother cultivate a special healing tea. I could have hung out here in remote China forever, but See has wider ground to cover, including Chinese adoption, the international fine tea market and modern Chinese migration to the United States A lush tale infused with clear-eyed compassion, this novel will inspire reflection, discussion and an overwhelming desire to drink rare Chinese tea. Helen Simonson, The Washington Post One of the fascinating elements of Sees epic novel is the contrast between the isolated lives of the Akha and the globalized world of Chinas larger cities a contrast bridged by teaFans of the best-selling Snow Flower and the Secret Fan will find much to admire in The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, as both books closely illuminate stories of womens struggles and solidarity in minority-ethnic and rural Chinese culturesIn rendering the complex pain and joy of the mother-daughter bond, Lisa See makes this novel dedicated to her own mother, author Carolyn See, who died last year a deeply emotional and satisfying read. Emily Gray Tedrowe, USA Today Lisa See transports readers to the remote mountains of Chinacome for the heartwarming bonding between mother and daughter; stay for the insight into Akha culture and the fascinating (really) history of the tea trade." Real Simple "With strong female characters, See deftly confronts the changing role of minority women, majority-minority relations, East-West adoption, and the economy of tea in modern China. Fans of Sees Snow Flower and the Secret Fan will appreciate this novel. Library Journal "With vivid and precise details about tea and life in rural China, Li-Yans gripping journey to find her daughter comes alive." Publishers Weekly "A riveting exercise in fictional anthropology." Kirkus Reviews

Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of The Island of Sea Women, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, Shanghai Girls, China Dolls, and Dreams of Joy, which debuted at #1. She is also the author of On Gold Mountain, which tells the story of her Chinese American familys settlement in Los Angeles. See was the recipient of the Golden Spike Award from the Chinese Historical Association of Southern California and the Historymakers Award from the Chinese American Museum. She was also named National Woman of the Year by the Organization of Chinese American Women.