Anthologies#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| What My Mother Gave Me |
2013 |
Buy |
May and Pearl Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Shanghai Girls |
2009 |
Buy |
| Dreams of Joy |
2011 |
Buy |
Non-Fiction#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| On Gold Mountain |
1995 |
Buy |
Red Princess Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Flower Net |
1997 |
Buy |
| The Interior |
1999 |
Buy |
| Dragon Bones |
2002 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Snow Flower and the Secret Fan |
2005 |
Buy |
| Peony in Love |
2007 |
Buy |
| China Dolls |
2014 |
Buy |
| The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane |
2017 |
Buy |
| The Island of Sea Women |
2019 |
Buy |
| Lady Tan’s Circle of Women |
2023 |
Buy |
| Daughters of the Sun and Moon |
2026 |
Buy |
Lisa See writes historical fiction centered on the experiences of Chinese and Chinese American women. Her breakthrough novel Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005) is set in 19th century China and explores the tradition of nu shu, a secret writing system used only by women. The Island of Sea Women (2019) follows female divers on the Korean island of Jeju through decades of upheaval including the Japanese occupation and the Korean War.
See’s Red Princess mystery trilogy, beginning with Flower Net (1997), follows a Chinese American detective through crimes that span the US and China. Her two-book May and Pearl series, starting with Shanghai Girls (2009), traces two Chinese sisters who are sold to men in Los Angeles and must build new lives in America. Her non-fiction work On Gold Mountain (1995) tells the true story of her own Chinese American family in Los Angeles.
Her most recent novels include Lady Tan’s Circle of Women (2023), about a 15th century Chinese physician, and the upcoming Daughters of the Sun and Moon (2026). See has built a body of work that illuminates aspects of women’s history in Asia that are rarely covered in Western fiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Lisa See written?
Lisa See has written fourteen books across five series.
What was Lisa See's first book?
Lisa See’s first book is On Gold Mountain, published in 1995.
What are Lisa See's books about?
Lisa See’s novels focus on the lives of Chinese and Chinese American women across different historical periods. Her books explore foot binding, tea farming, women divers on Jeju Island, and the Chinese American experience in Los Angeles. She draws on her own Chinese American heritage and extensive research into women’s history in Asia.