On this episode, we sit down with author Allison King to chat about her debut novel The Phoenix Pencil Company, a novel that's part historical fiction, part magical realism, and part sapphic romance about a young woman who discovers her family's secret magical power to reconstruct anything written by a pencil while taking care of her ailing grandmother and learning about her own family's history from Shanghai to Taiwan to the States.
Follow Allison on Instagram at @allisonkingwrites and check out her debut novel The Phoenix Pencil Company available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!
Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors
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The Books & Boba July 2025 pick is Bingsu for Two by Sujin Witherspoon
This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
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Don't miss Chinese Republicans, a new play from Alex Lin
Coming to the Roundabout Theatre Company this winter, Chinese Republicans is a biting new satirical drama from Alex Lin, directed by Chay Yew, following three high-powered businesswomen who meet for lunch every month to discuss their latest career triumphs, as they’ve done for decades. But the group is jolted when Katie, a bright-eyed 24-year-old new to the workforce, joins to navigate the world of corporate finance. As each of the women attempts to steer Katie towards what they’re certain is best, they’re forced to grapple with how much they already have and are willing to sacrifice to climb the corporate ladder.
