NYTS Gongfu Book Club - Jan 2026

NYTS Monthly Tea Book Club

January Selection: The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

This month, we’re reading The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, a novel that follows the life of Li-yan, a young woman from a remote Akha village in Yunnan whose path becomes inseparable from the rise of Pu’er tea.

As you move through the story, you’ll trace Li-yan’s journey from traditional tea-farming life to the broader world beyond her mountain home. Along the way, the book offers a vivid look at how tea shapes identity, family, and possibility, from ancient harvesting customs to the modern global market.

At our monthly gathering, we’ll dive into the novel’s characters, cultural threads, and the real-world tea history behind the narrative. We’ll sip, reflect, and explore how the flavors in your cup connect with the novel’s emotional and geographic terrain.

Settle in with a warm pot, turn the page, and…