𝓢𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓪 𝓑𝓪𝓻𝓫𝓪𝓻𝓪 ~ Join KAAREM on Wednesday, May 28th at 6PM to hear author Susan Lieu discuss her memoir, THE MANICURIST’S DAUGHTER, about grief, trauma, body image, and finding your own place in the world. In conversation with the one and only SuChin Pak.

📚 THE MANICURIST’S DAUGHTER is a raw and riveting memoir about grief, beauty, family, and the search for truth—after Susan’s mother dies during plastic surgery, a journey unfolds to confront the past and reclaim identity.

This evening marks the final chapter of our Victoria Court pop-up storefront—and we’re ending on a high note. Come celebrate Vietnamese diasporic storytelling with us. Let’s gather one last time to share stories, hold space, and eat ice cream. :)

Thank you for making this little shop feel like home. We can’t wait to see you there. ❤️

Vietnamese-American author, playwright, and performer, Susan Lieu, takes audiences on a journey of healing intergenerational trauma, embracing authenticity, and finding boldness in vulnerability. Her debut memoir, The Manicurist’s Daughter (Celadon), is an Apple Book Pick of the Month, a 2024 Best Book of Smithsonian, NPR, and Elle Magazine, and has received accolades from The New York Times and The Washington Post. She was recently named one of Seattle Magazine’s Most Influential People of 2024. Lieu is the creator of her theatrical solo show "140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother," which received critical acclaim from LA Times, NPR, and American Theatre. The co-founder of Socola Chocolatier, Susan is a proud alumnus of Harvard College, Yale School of Management, and Hedgebrook.

Website: www.susanlieu.me
Instagram: @susanlieu

An emotionally raw memoir about the crumbling of the American Dream and a daughter of refugees who searches for answers after her mother dies during plastic surgery.

Susan Lieu has long been searching for answers. About her family’s past and about her own future. Refugees from the Vietnam War, Susan’s family escaped to California in the 1980s after five failed attempts. Upon arrival, Susan’s mother was their savvy, charismatic North Star, setting up two successful nail salons and orchestrating every success―until Susan was eleven. That year, her mother died from a botched tummy tuck. After the funeral, no one was ever allowed to talk about her or what had happened.

For the next twenty years, Susan navigated a series of cascading questions alone―why did the most perfect person in her life want to change her body? Why would no one tell her about her mother’s life in Vietnam? And how did this surgeon, who preyed on Vietnamese immigrants, go on operating after her mother’s death? Sifting through depositions, tracking down the surgeon’s family, and enlisting the help of spirit channelers, Susan uncovers the painful truth of her mother, herself, and the impossible ideal of beauty.

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.

SuChin Pak is a veteran journalist who has been hosting and reporting the news for almost 30 years. She has reported on ABC, NBC, Discovery Networks, Oxygen and E!. She is most known for her long career as a news anchor for MTV News. From hosting red carpet shows, to reporting on presidential elections, international relief efforts and covering some of the biggest headlines in news, Pak has been a dedicated journalist since reporting on her first show at the age of 16.

In 2022, she wrote an essay for My Life: Growing Up Asian in America, a collection of stories written about the immense diversity and complexity around Asian American identity.

She currently co-hosts Add To Cart—an award winning podcast about consumerism and the impact on our culture. She is also the host of Uncared For—a narrative podcast on the inequalities in the healthcare system and what we can do to fix them.

Instagram: @suchinpak
Podcast: Add to Cart

Chaucer’s Books is our bookseller partner for Author Book Event featuring The Manicurist’s Daughter by Susan Lieu.

Chaucer's Books is a local woman and veteran owned independent bookstore in the Loreto Plaza (on upper State Street) in Santa Barbara, CA.

Packed with over 150,000 titles, Chaucer's has been a mainstay for booklovers since 1974.

Alongside excellent customer service, they are committed to providing our community with an impressive depth and breadth of books in any and all genres and subjects. Ask the Chaucer’s Book staff for recommendations!

Visit Chaucer's Books
3321 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
chaucersbooks.com
@chaucersbooks

Creaminal is an ice cream brand based in Santa Barbara, CA, led by the husband and wife duo, Piti Sukavivatanachai and Kathy Dao. Established in 2014, their Asian-American upbringing and treasured memories serve as the heart and soul of Creaminal, which specializes in ice cream flavors and sundaes that evoke nostalgia and happiness.

Creaminal started all by accident. After graduating from UCLA, Piti started his career in emergency medical services as an EMT running 911 calls in LA and OC. Yet, destiny had a different plan in store for Piti and Kathy. With Piti’s parents facing challenges at the family restaurant, Piti and Kathy took a leap of faith and temporarily left their jobs to offer a helping hand in Santa Barbara. It was during this time when Piti learned the basics of ice cream making from watching his mom make coconut ice cream for the restaurant. Soon Piti and Kathy took on the responsibility of making the ice cream. Driven by curiosity and passion, they began experimenting with different flavors and techniques. Word soon spread that a small Thai restaurant on upper State Street, Your Choice, was making unique ice cream flavors as well as sundaes and before they knew it, lines were forming outside their door.

Visit: eatcreaminal.com
@eatcreaminal
@yourchoicerestaurant