The Manicurist's Daughter

A Memoir

By: Susan Lieu

Narrated by: Susan Lieu

Long-listed, NPR Best Book of the Year, 2024

"Susan Lieu's narration of her memoir, The Manicurist's Daughter, adds to the already raw emotion that flows throughout her journey to know her mother."—The Berkshire Eagle

This program is read by the author.

An emotionally raw memoir about the crumbling of the American Dream and a daughter of refugees who searches for answers after her mother dies during plastic surgery.

Susan Lieu has long been searching for answers. About her family’s past and about her own future. Refugees from the Vietnam War, Susan’s family escaped to California in the 1980s after five failed attempts. Upon arrival, Susan’s mother was their savvy, charismatic North Star, setting up two successful nail salons and orchestrating every success—until Susan was eleven. That year, her mother died from a botched tummy tuck. After the funeral, no one was ever allowed to talk about her or what had happened.

For the next twenty years, Susan navigated a series of cascading questions alone—why did the most perfect person in her life want to change her body? Why would no one tell her about her mother’s life in Vietnam? And how did this surgeon, who preyed on Vietnamese immigrants, go on operating after her mother’s death? Sifting through depositions, tracking down the surgeon’s family, and enlisting the help of spirit channelers, Susan uncovers the painful truth of her mother, herself, and the impossible ideal of beauty.

The Manicurist’s Daughter is much more than a memoir about grief, trauma, and body image. It is a story of fierce determination, strength in shared culture, and finding your place in the world.

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books.

©2024 Susan Lieu (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“A stunning, raw, brave memoir that wouldn’t let me go.”―V (formerly Eve Ensler), author of Reckoning and The Vagina Monologues

"With tenacity, wit, and fierce love, Susan Lieu reconstructs the mother she lost–from memory, through detective work, by spirit conjuring…defying all obstacles and naysayers. A high octane roller coaster to healing."―Thi Bui, author of The Best We Could Do, an American Book Award winner, a National Book Critics Circle finalist, and an Eisner Award finalist

"The quintessential story of an immigrant's kid―filled to the brim with heartache and hope."―Gene Luen Yang, author of American Born Chinese, a National Book Award finalist and Printz Award winner

Raw, emotional, and superb storytelling

Susan recounts a history encompassing 4 generations of Immigrants and revealing deep wounds not only within herself, but ones that impacted every member of her family on the surface and otherwise.

the energy she brings as the narrator is infectious, and demands your attention at every turn and new detail uncovered in her investigation of her mother's death, and trying to connect to her more deeply as her own journey into motherhood is on the horizon.

Worth every second of the recording, and it's a journey that will hopefully inspire reflecting on your own history as it has mine.

Incredible emotional journey

The author was incredible. What a powerful story. When we feel we heal. Wow, can’t wait to see what she does next.

Bo qua di…vs tiem loi di

Thanks, sis for taking me to my first #booksigningevent for @susanlieu ‘s book
#manicuristsdaughter @advancebeautycollege

I love the audiobook! Read by the author herself, she adds tone (all SIX tones and more)! I loved hearing her stories because it made me feel so much less alone. Being my mom’s first born as an American born Vietnamese, it was often difficult to grasp both cultures fully. To the Vietnamese, i was never Vietnamese enough… to the Americans, i wasnt American…my son is mixed and also struggles with not being this or that enough… we are not alone… and to have this book written in an easy going, comical but exposed / raw way… it is easy for me to listen to this w my son and say:

See? We all struggle together…in similar / different ways. How we work thru the struggle shapes who we are and strengthens our character. I am ME enough and you are the perfect amount of this AND that!

What a beautiful reflection

I first heard Susan's story through her 1-woman show, and loved getting a fuller picture through this book. The story was so moving, and hearing it told in the author’s voice gave it extra dimension… especially with all her Vietnamese pronunciations. It felt intimate to experience Susan’s recollections and explorations of her family’s experience right along with her. Beautiful exploration of grief, healing, self-discovery, family dynamics, and the experience of being a first-generation Vietnamese-American. Highly recommend.

Finding oneself in the untold story

Susan Lieu is a brilliant storyteller. Vulnerable, funny, honest and relatable. Reading her story I could connect with the emotions of sifting through all the feelings of one’s experience. Gaining moments of realization through reflection that everyone has a story, even our parents.

unbelievable story told in a beautiful way

glad the author read the story. wonderful story and performance delivered by the author. Great closure.

So glad Lieu brought her family's story to light!

I don't usually purchase a newly-released book until there are a few reviews to go off of, but the cover and description drew me in to Lieu's story. I'm so glad I didn't wait - I LOVE this memoir! What a compelling story with ALL of the feels...I adore Lieu's humor and narration...and wow, such heart to persevere for SO many years in the face of so much resistance to discover who her mom really was and what really happened. I'm so glad you took your mom's advice, Susan, and you did not cover up the story - thank you for sharing it with us!

Amazing memoir

I love how raw this memoir is. As an immigrant myself, I was able to connect with Susan’s story and family struggles.

An engaging and true story of a young girls journey into adulthood, discovering the truth about her mother’s death.

 Have you ever had a manicure and pedicure and wondered what the workers were saying in Vietnamese? This story is about immigrants coming to America and establishing a business so that their children could have a better life. When the mother suddenly dies the father and four children have to figure out how to move forward.
This story searches for the meaning of the loss of a mother but is told with all the truth and comedy including body image, judgy family, good food, career paths, four generations, culture, spirituality, community, opportunities and just life in general.
I listen to the audiobook and enjoyed the Vietnamese language and accents as read by the author….but missed the photos that are in the book.
Great work Susan!

Every emotion in my body was touched by this book

There was nothing to dislike in this story. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay area during the time That the story takes place. I have a vivid memory of the time when the Vietnamese refugees were flooding into the San Francisco Bay Area; howeverhowever, had no clue that it took for them to come to the strange place and reinvent themselves.

Susan’s raw and open storytelling takes you to a place that a few people will allow you to go. From the sites and sounds and taste of her Vietnamese family. You’ll never walk into nail shop and view the people the same way again.