Lisa See (Photo by Patricia Williams)

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. - New York Times bestselling author Lisa See will speak and sign books at California Lutheran University on Thursday, Feb. 17.

An Evening with Lisa See will be presented from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Lundring Events Center. She also will sign books from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Pearson Library foyer.

See has always been intrigued by stories that have been lost, forgotten or deliberately covered up, whether they occurred in the past or are happening right now. In her 2009 novel, “Shanghai Girls,” she delves into the forgotten history of two sisters who leave Shanghai in 1937 and go to Los Angeles in arranged marriages. It is a story of immigration, identity, war, love and sisterhood.

In See’s 2005 critically acclaimed international bestseller, “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan,” Lily and Snow Flower are trapped in the rigid gender expectations of their culture. They must use “nu shu,” the secret writing developed and used by women in China, to communicate and share their experiences with each other.

See was born in Paris but grew up in Los Angeles, where she still lives today. She lived with her mother as a child but spent a lot of time with her father’s family in Chinatown. In her first work, the critically acclaimed 1995 memoir “On Gold Mountain: The One Hundred Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family,” See traces the journey of her great-grandfather. Fong See overcame obstacles at every step to become the 100-year-old godfather of Chinatown and the patriarch of a sprawling family. The 1995 book explores the immigrant experience, Chinese culture, biracial and bicultural families, and United States and California history.

Her other novels, including “Flower Net,” “Dragon Bones” and the instant New York Times bestseller “Peony in Love,” have all received praise and awards for their excellence.

See also designed a walking tour of Chinatown and has helped develop gallery spaces and exhibits, including the interactive Family Discovery Gallery at the Autry Museum of Western Heritage. She was the 2001 National Woman of the Year selected by the Organization of Chinese American Women.

Lundring Events Center is in the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, which is located north of Olsen Road near Campus Drive on the Thousand Oaks campus. Pearson Library is located south of Olsen Road near Mountclef Boulevard.

The Center for Equality and Justice, Pearson Library and Multicultural Programs are presenting the free public event. For more information, contact Yen Tran at (805) 493-3092 or nttran@callutheran.edu.