The Fortune Cookie Chronicles


  • #26 on the New York Times Best Seller List
    and featured on The Colbert Report, Martha Stewart, TED.com, CNN, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Charlie Rose Tomorrow, Newsweek, Entertainment Weekly, and NPR stations coast to coast. Also selected for Borders Original Voices and Book Sense. Follow me on Twitter! Fan me on Facebook.

  • Appearances

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    Spoke at the National Archives on Oct. 26

    Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

    I spoke at the National Archives today. That’s right, the same building as Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence! It was part of the “What’s Cooking? Uncle Sam” exhibit, which examines the federal government’s impact on the American diet. The building: And the little sign for the talk. Update: The chief of research offered […]

    Speaking at the National Archives on October 26

    Saturday, October 1st, 2011

    I’m speaking at the National Archives on October 26 in the William G. McGowan Theater as part of their ongoing series looking at food.

    San Francisco Public Library Picks Fortune Cookie Chronicles for Its Book Club

    Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

    We’re San Francisco Public Library’s pick for January/February for their On the Same Page program, which is essentialy San Francisco’s bi-monthly book club. I’m speaking on February 19th in their Chinatown branch. Here are the details Saturday, 2/19/2011, 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Chinatown Meeting Room Chinatown 1135 Powell Street, San Francisco CA

    Speaking at the Smithsonian Tomorrow

    Friday, May 7th, 2010

    Tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. I’m giving a talk at the Smithsonian which is free and open to the public! Today I’m going down to talk to historians, as they are interested in doing a Chinese food exhibit. I’m amused in the description below that they say “As stated by Ms. Lee,” when citing the […]

    Event with Ming Tsai on March 11 in Boston

    Friday, February 5th, 2010

    I’m doing an event with Ming Tsai of Blue Ginger fame for the Asian American Journalist Association’s New England chapter in March 11. Here is the description. Ming Tsai, James Beard award-winning chef and owner of Blue Ginger and host of the Emmy-nominated Simply Ming on WGBH, is preparing a special menu to benefit AAJA New […]

    Speaking at Museum of the City of New York on February 7

    Saturday, December 19th, 2009

    I’m speaking on Sunday, February 7, at 2 p.m. at the Museum of the City of New York. It’s free! Here is their write-up below. Sunday • February 7 • 2:00 PM Join Jennifer 8. Lee, author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles as she recounts her quest to explain how Chinese food is all-American.There are […]

    October 21 Yale Asian American Lecture Details — New Location

    Monday, October 12th, 2009

    Updated: Here are the details for my Chinese food talk at Yale for all you New Haven area folks. The location and time have changed because it’s being sponsored by the Jewish groups on campus — and now it comes with a kosher Chinese dinner. 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 21 Slifka Center for Jewish Life […]

    Chicago Talk on August 16, 1 p.m. in Chinatown

    Saturday, August 15th, 2009

    My talk at the Chicago Chinese American Historical Society has been picked up in a number of outlets: including Time Out Chicago, Chicago Reader, the Examiner. They did a great job publicizing it! Here are the details. August 16 1 p.m. St. Therese School 247 West 23rd St (between Wentworth and Princeton avenues) Bridgeport/Chinatown, Chicago […]

    AAJA/Radcliffe/ATASK Boston Talk, This Thursday, August 13

    Saturday, August 8th, 2009

    Invite for a talk in Boston this Thursday, August 13. Please join us for AN EVENING OF HOPE AND GOOD FORTUNE. Jennifer 8. Lee (Harvard ’99), New York Times journalist and author, will read from her book The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, in which she takes readers around the world (and almost every American state) in […]

    Martha Stewart Rerun, Fried Turkey Dumplings, August 6

    Thursday, August 6th, 2009

    Martha Stewart segment is re-airing today, August 6. It was taped originally live-ish in late February. We make fried turkey dumplings. If you look closely, you will be able to see my mom!

    Speaking at Bryant Park Tonight, August 5th, at 6 p.m.

    Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

    The announcement from the Asian American Writers Workshop. Come join us for a fun-filled evening with Jennifer 8. Lee, author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles. After a Classic Kids Performance from 5:30 – 6:00pm, Jennifer will discuss the history of American Chinese food with Ken Chen, Executive Director of the Workshop! Jennifer 8. Lee harbors […]

    Speaking at Bryant Park on August 5

    Saturday, July 18th, 2009

    I’m speaking at Bryant Park at an HSBC-sponsored venue on August 5, 2009. It will involve fortune cookies, and if we are lucky, my video presentation — depends on the AV situation in Bryant Park.

    Speaking at Boston College tonight at 7 p.m.

    Saturday, April 25th, 2009

    Speaking tonight at 7 p.m at the Eagle’s Nest at Boston College. I’ve been Photoshopped! (They left out te 8. oddly)

    Talk at Boston College on April 25 at 7 p.m.

    Friday, April 10th, 2009

    The Chinese Student Association will be hosting an event on Saturday, April 25 at 7ish for students and pre-frosh. Here is what they wrote in the email: “Our group as a whole has expressed interest in your literature and works. We strongly feel that your approach to Chinese heritage within the US in the context […]

    Speaking to Pennsylvania Librarians on Oct. 18 in Harrisburg

    Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

    Speaking at Pennsylvania Library Association’s 2009 Conference at the President’s Program. The program is tied into the One Conference One Book and would be the featured title for the one book one dinner. It’s in Harrisburg.

    Today is a Day of Chinese Food and Sex (and Journalism)

    Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

    I’m at University of Indiana in Bloomington tonight giving a Yay! Asian Americans talk as part of the Yay! Asian Americans month (it gets moved around in schools because May — the normal month — is exam time). They’ve done a great job pushing and publicizing it, I must say). So after lunch today with […]

    Interviewing Martin Yan Today @ The Asia Society

    Thursday, March 26th, 2009

    Tonight, I’m doing an event at the Asia Society where I interview Martin Yan. Deails below. Asian Food Series: An Evening with Star Chef Martin Yan, Ambassador of Chinese Food and Culture Co-presented by New Asian Cuisine; sponsored by Tsing Tao Beer March 26th 6-8 p.m. Asia Society, 725 Park Ave, New York Cost: $15 […]

    Powerhouse Has Great Marketing

    Monday, March 9th, 2009

    The Fortune Cookie Chronicles party on Wednesday has been picked up in Time Out New York (both food and books sections), The Village Voice and The New York Post, Brooklyn Paper etc. Kudos to Susanne König and her team.

    Busy Weekend. Talks in Princeton, St. Louis and Toledo

    Friday, February 27th, 2009

    Lots of talks this weekend and lots of early morning flights. Just did a talk at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton (which is like a university with no students, and host to Albert Einstein, John von Neumann, Kurt Gödel and  J. Robert Oppenheimer) I spoke as part of the Cuisine & Culture lecture […]

    Going to be on martha stewart show tomorrow…at 10 a.m.

    Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

    To make turkey dumplings!

    powerHouse party in DUMBO March 11, 7-9pm

    Thursday, February 19th, 2009

    Okay here is the invite (click to get full size version). Details: March 11, 2009. 7-9 p.m. 37 Main Street in Brooklyn (which is Dumbo). rsvp@powerhousearena.com. Sarah Murray is chatting with me.

    March 11 Book Party at Powerhouse Books

    Friday, February 13th, 2009

    powerHouse Books in Brooklyn is going to throw my paperback launch on March 11. But it includes a DJ (!). They have a huge 10,000 space in Dumbo (or is it DUMBO, can’t remember if they like it all capitalized.) As Publishers Weekly noted recently, the indy bookseller/publisher bucked a trend in that it has […]

    Speaking in Salem (Where the Taxi Logo is a Witch on a Broomstick!)

    Thursday, February 12th, 2009

    Gave a talk at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts today, which has an amazing collection of Chinese art — in large part because Salem was a shipping capital with China. It also has a Qing Dynasty Chinese house, Yin Yu Tang, which is famously and painstakingly disassembled and reassembled in the museum. But […]

    Tonight. Talk at the University Club @ 5 p.m.

    Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

    Today. Talk at The University Club. I can’t believe I’m still giving talks. (This is my third event this month! Oy. I have like three more to go — Charlotte, Denver, Denver). I think four in February. Then the paperback is out in March.

    Jan. 11, 92nd Street Y, with David Chang and Steven Shaw

    Saturday, January 10th, 2009

    I’m doing an event Sunday at the 92nd Street Y with David Chang (of Momofuku fame) and Steven Shaw (of eGullet) called Asian Dining Rules. Get it? Asian Dining…Rules (verb), or Asian…Dining Rules (noun). Here is the description. David Chang, Jennifer 8. Lee and Steven Shaw Mike Colameco, moderator Book signing to follow. Join in […]

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