WINNIE M. LI at Books Inc. Palo Alto

Join author and activist Winnie M. Li at Books Inc. Palo Alto to celebrate her new novel, What We Left Unsaid, a heartfelt and revealing family saga exploring race, identity, growing up, and the meaning of belonging in America.

Winnie will be in conversation with Rowena Chui.

About the book: On an unexpected road trip, three estranged siblings uncover a startling family secret and larger truths about being Asian American in a post-COVID world—from the author of the “dazzling and devastating” (Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author) thriller Complicit.The Chu siblings haven’t seen each other in years but when they’re told that their ailing mother is scheduled for an operation next month, they agree to visit her together. Then their mother makes an odd request: before seeing her, they must go on a road trip together to the Grand Canyon.Thirty years ago, a strange incident had aborted a previous family road trip there. No one’s ever really spoken about it, but during this journey, the middle-aged Chu siblings have no choice but to confront their childhood experience.Together, Bonnie, Kevin, and Alex travel along Route 66—but as the trip continues, they realize the Great American Road Trip may not be what they expected. Facing their own prejudices and those of others, they somehow learn to bridge the distances between them, the present-day, and their past.With “powerful and beautiful writing” (Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author), Winnie M Li weaves an emotive and eye-opening exploration of family, race, growing up, and what it means to be American.

“Li’s tense rendition of secrets and revelations on an iconic highway will appeal to fans of family sagas.”— Booklist“Li capably explores the complex dynamics among her characters. This satisfies.”— Publishers Weekly“Winnie Li’s What We Left Unsaid is a perfect post-pandemic reflection from the eyes of Chinese American siblings. Every note rings true as we travel with Bonnie, Kevin, and Alex on Route 66 while they unearth a devastating family secret, leading them to finally understand what it means to be a 21st century Asian American.”— Naomi Hirahara, author of Mary Higgins Clark award-winning Clark and Division“I loved this book. It captured the complex dynamics of sibling relationships absolutely brilliantly. And it portrayed the multilayered experience of being an immigrant and the child of immigrants, of loving your country and yet never quite feeling as if you belong there. The Route 66 road trip is a symbol of a fractured America but also a still-vital dream of unity - in politics and in families, too. It was heartbreaking and hopeful, and it spoke to me deeply.”— Julie Cohen, bestselling author of Eat, Slay, Love“A truly gripping and moving exploration of siblings and the secrets we keep from the people closest to us - all of it set against the unexpected twists and turns of an American road trip. The characters are so richly developed, the sibling dynamic so realistic, the glimpse of America so insightful. I was hooked”— Libby Page, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lido

Winnie M Li is an American author and activist living in the UK with her partner and young son. A Harvard graduate, Winnie has written for travel guidebooks, produced independent feature films, programmed for film festivals, and developed eco-tourism projects. Her first novel Dark Chapter was nominated for an Edgar Award and translated into ten languages, followed by the critically acclaimed Complicit. A survivor and advocate against gendered violence, she holds a PhD from the London School of Economics and teaches creative writing and media studies.

Rowena Chiu is a former assistant to Harvey Weinstein. In 1998, she was sexually assaulted by him at the Venice Film Festival, and was coerced into signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which silenced her for over twenty years. In 2017, a New York Times journalist came to her home and doorstepped her husband of over a decade, revealing information about the assault and NDA. Rowena was featured in the subsequent NYT investigation, but she insisted on remaining anonymous. In 2019, she finally broke her story on the NBC Today Show, live in front of three million viewers. Rowena's story has featured in both the book and the movie, SHE SAID. She has given over 700 media interviews across four continents, for international news outlets such as: ABC, BBC, CBS, and NBC. She has testified at the House Of Commons, the Massachusetts State House, and the State Of The Union. She is writing a memoir, a novel, and a screenplay, in addition to working as a global #MeToo activist, advocating for the rights of those who are oppressed or voiceless, in churches, schools, universities and workplaces around the world.

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