Events › Meet Author Michelle Yang--Presented by the Bibliolotus and Welcome to America Teams

Join us at Martha Cooper Library for an evening with Michelle Yang, debut author of Phoenix Girl: How a Fat Asian with Bipolar Found Love. In conversation with Rachel Spitz, Michelle will delve into her memoir, which chronicles her journey from a tight-knit ethnic Chinese enclave in South Korea to her new life in Phoenix, Arizona, and beyond.

In addition to being a translator for her parents, Michelle worked in her family’s Chinese takeout restaurant starting at 12 years old, overcoming challenges and taking initiatives that shaped her into who she is today. With unflinching honesty, Phoenix Girl explores Michelle's struggle with Asian American identity, body image, mental health, and her eventual diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Ultimately, Michelle finds love, not only the romantic kind, but an enduring self-love, which allows her to heal, never give up, and thrive while successfully managing what later becomes a bipolar 1 diagnosis.

Michelle's writing has been featured in NBC News, CNN, InStyle, Shondaland, and more. A proud University of Arizona alum, she is thrilled to return to Tucson for this special event.

Books will be available for purchase and signing at this event.