In the Memoir Mentors Book Club, we explore memoirs through a writer’s lens. We go beyond the surface of the stories. We dissect memoirs, identifying elements we can integrate into our own writing and those we might want to steer clear of. Our discussions center around the strengths and weaknesses of the writing, providing valuable insights for enriching our writer toolboxes.

Come on by for insightful conversations, even if you haven’t read the featured book.

This time, we'll be discussing the award winning: *Once Our Lives: Life, Death, and Love in the Middle Kingdom* by Qin Sun Stubis.

**Book club questions** can be found here (When I get around to posting them)**:** [https://memoirmentors.com/book-club-questions/](https://memoirmentors.com/book-club-questions/)

### **Live Author Q&A the Following Week!**

I'm thrilled to announce that Qin will be joining us for a [special Q&A session ](https://www.meetup.com/memoir-mentors/events/310354319/)**[on October 16 - Join Here](https://www.meetup.com/memoir-mentors/events/310354319/)**.

Come to the book club ready to share your thoughts, reactions, and questions—we’ll gather those to shape the conversation with the author the following week!

*Once Our Lives* is the true story of four generations of Chinese women and how their lives were threatened by powerful and cruel ancient traditions, historic upheavals, and a man whose fate, cursed by an ancient superstition, dramatically altered their destinies. The book takes the reader on an exotic journey filled with luxurious banquets, lost jewels, babies sold in opium dens, kidnappings by pirates, and a desperate flight from death in the desert – seen through the eyes of a man for whom the truth would spell disaster and a lonely, beautiful girl with three identities.

Awards for *Once Our Lives:*
MS. MAGAZINE's choice for "Reads for the Rest of Us"
GLAMOUR UK Best New Books for June
2023 Gold Winner - Nonfiction Book Awards
2023 First Place Winner - Chanticleer International Book Awards' (CIBAs)
Nellie Bly Awards for Journalistic Nonfiction
2023 Readers' Favorite Book Awards
2023 PenCraft Book Awards #1 winner for literary excellence in culture/history
2023 Best Book Awards winner in cross-genre nonfiction

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Christina

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Book Club: Once Our Lives: Life, Death, and Love in the Middle Kingdom

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Book Club: Once Our Lives: Life, Death, and Love in the Middle Kingdom

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