Li Zi Shu and YZ Chin join Ipek Burnett at The Ruby in San Francisco to talk about family history, political turmoil, and the redemptive grace of storytelling in Li Zi Shu’s wildly inventive novel, The Age of Goodbyes, translated by YZ Chin.

Co-presented by The Ruby and Feminist Press.

Vaccination cards checked at the door. Masks strongly encouraged.

The exact address of the event is not listed. Location information will be sent after registration.

About THE AGE OF GOODBYES:

In 1969, in the wake of Malaysia's deadliest race riots, a woman named Du Li An secures her place in society by marrying a gangster. In a parallel narrative, a critic known only as The Fourth Person explores the work of a writer also named Du Li An. And a third storyline is in the second person; “you” are reading a novel titled The Age of Goodbyes. Floundering in the wake of “your” mother’s death, “you” are trying to unpack the secrets surrounding “your” lineage.

The Age of Goodbyes—which begins on page 513, a reference to the riots of May 13, 1969—is the acclaimed debut by Li Zi Shu, one of Southeast Asia’s most exciting writers. The winner of multiple awards and a Taiwanese bestseller, this dazzling novel is a profound exploration of what happens to personal memory when official accounts of history distort and render it taboo.