LECTURES

Da Chen grew up in the deep south of China in a tiny Fujian village and suffered communist political persecution and poverty during the Cultural Revolution. His family was beaten, his father thrown in reform camp, and young Chen, at the age of nine, was threatened with imprisonment. Unfailing family love helped him survive in a dysfunctional society. His first encounter with a Baptist professor who taught him English was life changing and opened the possibility of another world. He eventually excelled in college at Beijing Languages and Culture University, and stayed on as a professor of English after graduating top in his class. Da Chen arrived in America at the age of 23 with $30 in his pocket, his bamboo flute, and a heart filled with hope. He attended Columbia University School of Law on a full scholarship, and upon graduating, worked for the Wall Street investment banking firm of Rothschilds, Inc. Colors Of The Mountain, his first memoir, was compared to Angela's Ashes and went on to become a New York Times bestseller. Sounds Of The River, the sequel to his first memoir, was published to rave international reviews. The LA times wrote, "Da Chen's voice comes from the soil of China is exuberance for life and its possibilities set him apart from others in the genre." Da Chen's award winning fiction and non-fiction books include, Brothers, Wandering Warrior, and China's Son. Da Chen received the 2007 Rip Van Winkle Award for outstanding contributions to Children's Literature by the New York Library Association. Da has been featured on NPR, CNN International, The Diane Rehm Show, CSPAN Book TV, and Fox News Channel. Da Chen will also discuss his experience tackling cross-cultural family issues of raising children in North America.

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