Presentation at Rancho Mirage Library on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMspMvZCchg
Author Iris Yang was born and raised in China where Americans were called “American Devils.” Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine writing books about American heroes. In fact, writing was a dangerous career when books were being burned and her grandmother, the first Chinese woman to receive a master’s degree in the UK, was wrongfully accused of being a Counter-Revolutionary Rightist and fired from her university job. At a young age Dr. Yang had to choose a safer path – to study science, eventually earning her Ph.D. in molecular biology. Only recently has she ventured further into her true passion or creative writing.Dr. Yang will speak about her two historical novels featuring the Flying Tigers fighter squadrons (American Volunteer Group) and their contributions to China during WWII. “Both books are works of fiction,” Yang explains. “But to me, they are also personal. As a Chinese, I’m thankful for the Flying Tigers’ bravery and sacrifice; without their help, the course of Chinese history might have been changed, my family might not have survived, and I might not have existed. As a U.S. citizen, I’m honored to write a book about the American heroes. It’s a privilege.”
On August 25, 2018, Iris Yang spoke to readers about one of the darkest hours of Chinese history—and the inspiration behind her novel, Wings of a Flying Tiger—at Sedona Public Library. Watch the entire presentation:
Presentation at Durham Country Library on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7mwcGvy3zI
Please join us for a reading and discussion of local author Iris Yang’s historical novel, Wings of a Flying Tiger. It is a heroic tale in which ordinary Chinese risked their lives to rescue and safeguard a downed American pilot in WWII in China. She will talk about the inspiration behind her book and how writing, in many ways, changed her life.