Please join our newest Book Club Convener, Dr. Yanfeng Li, for a 1.5 hours discussion of Bai Xianyong's short story "The Eternal Snow Beauty" (永远的尹雪艳). Afterward, you are invited to bring the literature in live context with optional dancing at the historic Paramount Ballroom—a high-society landmark since 1933. The story prompts readers to uncover the truths beneath Yin Xueyan's glamorous façade as a legendary socialite in both Shanghai and Taipei. The electronic story will be made available in advance to those who register for this event.

Bai Xianyong (白先勇, born 1937) is a Professor Emeritus at UC Santa Barbara and a renowned writer who spent his youth in Shanghai and Nanjing before relocating to Taipei. He holds a B.A. from National Taiwan University and an M.A. in creative writing from the University of Iowa. His celebrated short story collection, Taipei People (臺北人), portrays the lives of prominent mainland emigres in Taiwan, many of whom, living suspended between their past and present. "The Eternal Snow Beauty" is the iconic piece in this collection. Please note this is a book discussion. The author will not be present.

About the Spaker: Yanfeng Li (PhD in Chinese Literature, University of Hawaii) taught at the University of Pennsylvania and CIEE Shanghai Center (ECNU) for eleven years. He then travelled and wrote about the regional cultures of Qinling and Basha (Shaanxi/Sichuan), resulting in the trilogy Distant Mountain Trails and other works. He is now excited to bring his "On-site Literature" practice from the mountains to the city.