Lisa See Quotes

Powerful Lisa See for Daily Growth

About Lisa See

Lisa See is an acclaimed American novelist and historian, renowned for her compelling stories rooted in Chinese-American history and culture. Born on May 5, 1955, in Paris, France, to American parents Carleton Tuttle and Anna Lee (Ho) Tuttle, See spent her early years in California before moving to Hong Kong at the age of nine. This formative experience instilled a deep appreciation for Chinese heritage within her. After graduating from St. Helen's School in London and Trinity College in Boston, See worked as a journalist and public relations executive. However, it was not until the death of her grandmother that she found her true calling as a writer. Drawn to preserve her family's history, See penned "On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family" (1985), an emotionally charged account of her ancestors' immigration journey from China to America. See's literary career flourished with the publication of her debut novel, "Flower Net" (1997). The book, set in Shanghai during the Taiping Rebellion, showcased See's meticulous research and knack for storytelling. However, it was her third novel, "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" (2005), that truly catapulted her to international fame. A captivating tale of two young girls bound together by a secret friendship during the oppressive social structure of 19th-century China, it spent more than one year on The New York Times Best Seller list and has been translated into over thirty languages. Among See's other notable works are "Peony in Love" (2007), a retelling of the Chinese classic "Journey to the West," and "The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane" (2017), a poignant story about a Li family whose destiny hinges on the ancient tea trade. In addition to her novels, See has written several works of non-fiction, including "Dreams of Joy" (2011) and "China Rich Girlfriend" (2016), sequels to "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan." See's unique ability to bridge Eastern and Western cultures, coupled with her unwavering commitment to chronicling Chinese-American history, has made her one of the most respected voices in contemporary American literature.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The world belongs to the dreamers, the courageous, and those who dare to challenge fate."

This quote by Lisa See emphasizes that the world is not just for the passive observers but for those who have dreams, courage, and a spirit of defiance against circumstances. It suggests that those who dare to pursue their dreams, even when faced with adversity, are the ones who ultimately shape and reap rewards from the world. The message encourages individuals to embrace their ambitions, face challenges bravely, and strive to make a difference in their lives and the world around them.


"Family is not an important thing, it's everything."

This quote emphasizes that family is not just a significant aspect of life but rather the very foundation upon which all else is built. It suggests that the love, support, and bonds shared within a family are essential for personal growth, identity, and emotional well-being. The word "everything" highlights the indispensable role families play in shaping individuals and their lives.


"Remember that your ancestors are always with you, whispering in your ear, guiding you on your journey."

This quote suggests a deep connection between individuals and their ancestry, emphasizing that one's heritage is not confined to the past but is an ever-present influence in shaping one's identity and life path. The "whispering" and "guiding" imply that ancestors provide wisdom, strength, and direction, serving as silent companions on one's personal journey through life. It encourages us to honor our roots and draw upon the lessons and wisdom passed down from generations, using them to navigate our own experiences and make meaningful choices.


"She had a hunger for books, and her life was transformed."

The quote emphasizes the transformative power of knowledge and reading. It suggests that gaining access to books can significantly impact an individual's life, fostering intellectual curiosity and sparking personal growth. This profound transformation is rooted in the thirst for learning and the enriching experience literature provides.


"Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear."

This quote emphasizes that courage doesn't necessarily mean one is fearless, but rather it's the ability to discern that an action or decision matters more than the fear that might accompany it. It underscores the idea that overcoming fear is not about eliminating it entirely, but recognizing its presence and choosing to move forward regardless for the sake of something greater.


It used to happen in villages and towns in China that they would have - I guess you'd call them beauty contests - where all of the women of a particular village or town would be seated behind these screens or curtains with only their feet showing.

- Lisa See

Beauty, Feet, Behind, Curtains

People come in and out of our lives, and the true test of friendship is whether you can pick back up right where you left off the last time you saw each other.

- Lisa See

Friendship, Back, Other, Last Time

But, you know, I just did a big trip in the spring to Vietnam and Cambodia and Thailand, and that's when I bought a Kindle. I have like 15 books on this one little gizmo. But when I came home, the first night I picked up the book that was on my nightstand and I went right back to that.

- Lisa See

Book, Big, Back, Thailand

I don't really know anything about the movie business, even though I've lived in Los Angeles my whole life - somehow I've never bumped into it.

- Lisa See

Business, Movie, Angeles, Bumped

One of the things that's pretty unique about nu shu, when you look especially at these old letters and stories that have been saved, is that there are certain lines that are very standard that are used again and again. It's almost like a formula in a sense, so that these certain lines come up again and again.

- Lisa See

Been, Standard, Very, Letters

Nu shu means women's writing. And it was a secret writing system that was invented by women, used by women and kept a secret by women in one very remote county in China for a thousand years. It's the only language that was invented and used by women to have been found anywhere in the world.

- Lisa See

Been, Very, County, Invented

I am an eighth Chinese, and I come from a large Chinese-American family in Los Angeles.

- Lisa See

Angeles, Large, Eighth, Los Angeles

I think all women have a friend who at some point dumped them or betrayed them or deeply disappointed them. And at the same time all women have a friend who they dumped or betrayed or hurt in some way. That's universal in women's friendships.

- Lisa See

Think, Some, I Think, All Women

But there are certain books I would never put on a Kindle because you want to be able to look at graphs and photos or the footnotes and maps. You can't see that.

- Lisa See

Look, Want, Maps, Kindle

I love research. I'd go so far as to say I'm a research fanatic.

- Lisa See

Love, Far, I Love, Fanatic

A book is one kind of an art form and a film is a different art form. I think as a writer you just have to say, well the book is one thing, and the film is a completely different one.

- Lisa See

Art, Think, I Think, Art Form

Some of what I am doing when I am researching is looking for things people in my family have done and finding out what those things mean, why they did those things and seeing how I fit into them.

- Lisa See

Doing, Why, Some, Researching

And one of the interesting things about bound feet is that they never age.

- Lisa See

Feet, Interesting, Never, Interesting Things

And often it would be a woman who was in her 70s or 80s who would win the beauty contest, because bound feet never age.

- Lisa See

Beauty, Woman, Feet, Contest

I think to really be literate in nu shu you only need about 600 characters because it is phonetic. So you're able to then create many words out of one character.

- Lisa See

Think, Need, I Think, Literate

I write a thousand words a day.

- Lisa See

Words, Write, I Write, Thousand Words

My hardcover sales are 17% down in books but up 400% in electronics.

- Lisa See

Electronics, Books, Up, Sales

Opera tells stories through the pure emotion of music. An exhibition has to tell a story purely visually. I've tried to incorporate both of those things - pure emotion and being more visual - into my writing.

- Lisa See

Through, Exhibition, Purely, Incorporate

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