The Manicurist's Daughter: Orange County Book Launch

Join us for an emotional rollercoaster of an evening with Vietnamese-American multihyphenate storyteller Susan Lieu to discuss her debut memoir THE MANICURIST'S DAUGHTER. The event promises to be a reckoning on intergenerational trauma and healing, sprinkled with vulnerability and humor. The conversation will be moderated by Elizabeth Ai, Director & Producer of the forthcoming documentary NEW WAVE. The event will conclude with a Community Q&A and book signing. Books available for purchase on-site.

Co-presented by Advance Beauty College, The Vietnamese Podcast, and Little Saigon OC.

ABOUT THE BOOK

THE MANICURIST'S DAUGHTER is an emotionally raw story about the crumbling of the American Dream and a daughter of refugees who searches for answers after her mother dies during plastic surgery. The book is featured as one of Goodreads and Elle Magazine’s Most Anticipated Books of 2024, Top 6 Books for Lunar New Year by LA Times, and V (formerly Eve Ensler, creator of Vagina Monologues) calls it “a stunning, raw, brave memoir that wouldn’t let me go.” The Manicurist’s Daughter is much more than a memoir about grief, trauma, and body image. It is a story of fierce determination, strength in shared culture, and finding your place in the world–told with vulnerability and humor.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SUSAN LIEU is a Vietnamese-American author, playwright, and performer who tells stories that refuse to be forgotten. A daughter of nail salon workers, she took her award-winning autobiographical solo show 140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother on a ten-city national tour, with sold-out premieres and accolades from the Los Angeles Times, NPR, and American Theatre. Eight months pregnant, she premiered her sequel, OVER 140 LBS, at ACT Theatre. She is a proud alumna of Harvard College, Yale School of Management, Coro, Hedgebrook, and Vashon Artist Residency. She is also the cofounder of Socola Chocolatier, an artisanal chocolate company based in San Francisco. Susan lives with her husband and son in Seattle, where they enjoy mushroom hunting, croissants, and big family gatherings. The Manicurist’s Daughter is her first book.

Host or Publisher Susan Lieu