The Many Daughters of Afong Moy(119)

Poetry


In the film Pretty Woman, Richard Gere says, “People’s reaction to opera the first time they see it is very dramatic. They love it or hate it. If they love it, they will always love it. If they don’t, they may learn to appreciate it, but it will never become part of their soul.”

That’s how I feel about poetry and why I couldn’t help but give shout-outs to Wendell Berry, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Edgar Allan Poe, Nikki Giovanni, Rupi Kaur, Yukio Mishima, Eva Gore-Booth, Felicia Hemans, Ezra Pound, Anne Sexton, Gertrude Stein, Oscar Wilde, Sylvia Plath, Li Bai, Andrea Gibson, and Anis Mojgani.

Those last two are most dear to me.

I did a gig one summer in Oregon with Anis and fellow poet Cameron Scott. We trekked to town, in search of donuts, if I remember correctly. Then we raced back along Wallowa Lake and in a moment of spontaneity, pulled the car over, stripped down, jumped in the water, swam around, then got dressed and arrived at our event just in time. I stood at the podium, my hair dripping wet, feeling so present and so alive. Though I suppose those feelings could have been a by-product of jumping into an ice-cold lake in your underwear.

But that’s what the spoken word magic of Anis and Andrea Gibson does for me.

In fact, the stethoscope scene in this novel between Faye and John Garland was inspired by one of Andrea Gibson’s incredible performances. I saw them live in Green Bay and they recounted this hilarious and heart-melting tale:

“So, we’re about to kiss for the very first time. And right before our lips touch, she jumps from the bed, runs to the closet and grabs a stethoscope, puts the ear thingies in my ears and slides the knob down her shirt onto her heart and says, ‘I want you to listen to my heart speed up when you kiss me.’ And I kissed her! And her heart got faster and faster y’all. Moral of the story, buy a stethoscope.”

Seriously, go see Anis and Andrea perform live. Read their work. It’s like a system upgrade for your heart.

While we’re talking about racing heartbeats, you might notice that this book was published by Atria, which I’m told is plural for “a place where things grow and flourish.” But the word atria itself also refers to chambers of the heart. I suspect that’s why this particular division of Simon & Schuster is such an ideal fit for yours truly, and why I’m so happy to be working with Libby McGuire once again.

Finally, there is the triumvirate of my writing life.

My über-agent, Kristin Nelson, whom I have been with since day one and whom I will be with at day zero, when all books are James Patterson novels written by computers.

My amazing new editor, Lindsay Sagnette. When I was looking for a new home for this book I reached out to my original editor, Jane von Mehren, for advice. She had become an agent and while visiting with Jane in New York City she said, “I know this fantastic editor. Her name is Lindsay Sagnette and I think she would be a perfect match.” Months later there was an auction for this book and the winner was none other than Lindsay. But let’s be honest, I’m the real winner here. Thank you, Lindsay, for believing in me.

My marvelous wife, Leesha, with her Red Pen of Destiny. I once posted photos of manuscript pages that she had read and marked up. The response on social media was, “OMG! JAMIE’S WIFE TOOK HIM TO THE WOODSHED!” But it’s always been love. Tough love, when I needed it most.

Okay, time to sharpen some more crayons.

Jamie Ford

Montana

September 2021





THE MANY DAUGHTERS OF AFONG MOY


Jamie Ford



This reading group guide for THE MANY DAUGHTERS OF AFONG MOY includes an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, and a Q&A with author Jamie Ford. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.





Introduction


Through an experimental treatment designed to mitigate inherited trauma, Dorothy Moy intimately connects with past generations of women in her family: Faye Moy, a nurse in China serving with the Flying Tigers; Zoe Moy, a student in England at a famous school with no rules; Lai King Moy, a girl quarantined in San Francisco during a plague epidemic; Greta Moy, a tech executive with a unique dating app; and Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to set foot in America.





Topics & Questions for Discussion



This story is told in alternating timelines across many characters. Who did you relate to the most? Was there one story you wished there was more of?

In the opening chapter, Faye Moy reads from an Edgar Allan Poe poem, “But we loved with a love that was more than love…” How do you think the characters show their capacity for love? Most of the characters seem to be driven by love. How do you think that affects their decisions? How does it affect the final outcome of the book?

Dorothy Moy recognizes some characteristics that she shares with her young daughter. How do you think that realization makes her feel? This book is all about how we can share trauma through a family line. What are some shared traits, positive and negative, that connect you to your family?

The relationship between Louis and Dorothy is very volatile. Why do you think that she stays with him?

The theme of fate versus choice runs throughout this novel. Pick out some of the moments where a different choice made by a character might have led to a different outcome. What stopped the character from making a better choice? Do you think it was external or internal forces that informed the decision?