{"product_id":"last-night-at-the-telegraph-club-isbn-9780525555278","title":"Last Night at the Telegraph Club","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNEW YORK TIMES \u003c\/i\u003eBESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD AND STONEWALL BOOK AWARD • From acclaimed author Malinda Lo comes a gripping, tender coming-of-age novel exploring identity, queerness, and historical upheaval set in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the 1950s.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e“Lush, ambitious and layered, Malinda Lo’s sweeping historical novel is the queer romance we’ve been waiting for.”—\u003ci\u003eMs. Magazine\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSeventeen-year-old Lily Hu can't remember exactly when the feeling took root—that desire to look, to move closer, to touch. Whenever it started growing, it definitely bloomed the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club. Suddenly, everything seemed possible.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father—despite his hard-won citizenship—Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMeticulously researched, emotionally stirring, and startlingly brave, \u003ci\u003eLast Night at the Telegraph Club \u003c\/i\u003eis a standout work of historical fiction that has taken the world by storm. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of the Asian\/Pacific American Award for Literature • A Michael L. Printz Honor Book • A We Need Diverse Books Walter Dean Myers Honor Book • A \u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e Book Prize Finalist • A \u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews \u003c\/i\u003eBest Young Adult Book of the Century\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of the National Book Award\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of the Stonewall Book Award\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of the Asian\/Pacific American Award for Literature\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Michael L. Printz Honor Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA We Need Diverse Books Walter Dean Myers Honor Book\u003cbr\u003eA Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist\u003cbr\u003eA \u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews \u003c\/i\u003eBest Book of the 21st Century (So Far)\u003cbr\u003eOne of \u003ci\u003eRolling Stone's\u003c\/i\u003e 20 Best Queer Romances of All Time \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Lo beckons readers, sentence by restrained sentence, into this incandescent novel of queer possibility.\"—National Book Award Winner Citation\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A vivid historical document of midcentury queer life.\"—\u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Lo's writing, restrained yet luscious, shimmers with the thrills of youthful desire. A lovely, memorable novel about listening to the whispers of a wayward heart and claiming a place in the world.\"—Sarah Waters, international bestselling and award winning author of \u003ci\u003eTipping the Velvet\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Night Watch\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Exquisite and heart-shattering, \u003ci\u003eLast Night at the Telegraph Club\u003c\/i\u003e made me ache with wishing. This book is for anyone who has ever loved—in any sense of the word.\"—Emily X.R. Pan, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Astonishing Color of After\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Lily is my favorite kind of heroine: observant, loving, and startlingly brave. Malinda Lo is my favorite kind of writer, one who can bring a scene to life with exquisite detail and nuance. \u003ci\u003eLast Night at the Telegraph Club\u003c\/i\u003e is a triumph. It is the queer novel I wish I had read as a teenager, and feel lucky to have read now.\"—Marie Rutkoski, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of The Winner's Trilogy \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Oh, what a wonderful novel this is! For all who ever dared to want more, much more, from life—a beautifully sensitive love story, with telling historic detail.\"—Susan Elia MacNeal, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of the Edgar-nominated Maggie Hope series\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Malinda Lo's \u003ci\u003eLast Night at the Telegraph Club\u003c\/i\u003e is an instant classic, the finest LGBTQIA+ romance I've read in ages. Lo has lovingly re-created 1950s San Francisco and made me feel as though I'd lived there, and her depiction of first love felt so real that I experienced it in long-since-forgotten corners of my own heart.\"—Bill Konigsberg, award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eThe Music of What Happens\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Bridge\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Malinda Lo's \u003ci\u003eLast Night at the Telegraph Club\u003c\/i\u003e is a beautifully observed story about finding love and fighting for one's identity against tremendous odds. In bringing a fascinating chapter of history to vivid life, this novel illuminates a path to the future through a careful understanding of our past. It's vivid, emotional, and hopeful. I loved it.\"—Abdi Nazemian, author of Stonewall Honor Book \u003ci\u003eLike a Love Story\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A sweeping and romantic page-turner, the heart of this rich and ambitious historical novel is a love story that thrums with passion and self-discovery.”—Laura Ruby, two-time National Book Award Finalist and Printz Award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eBone Gap\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"An absolute masterpiece.\"—Randy Ribay, author of \u003ci\u003ePatron Saints of Nothing,\u003c\/i\u003e a National Book Award finalist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Malinda Lo turns her masterful talent toward an under-covered period of San Francisco history. \u003ci\u003eLast Night at the Telegraph Club\u003c\/i\u003e is by turns gut-wrenching, utterly compelling, and deeply tender. I loved Lily fiercely, and you will too.\" —Rebecca Kim Wells, author \u003ci\u003eof Shatter the Sky\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A lovely, affirming, layered, and deft coming-of-queer-age novel.\"—\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Kate Elliott \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Lo has really outdone herself here. I don't think I can overstate how refreshing it is to read queer historical fiction that is so complex, nuanced, and tender. It's my opinion that this book will quickly become a new touchstone of the genre of queer literature. What an accomplishment.\"—Sarah Gailey, award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eMagic for Liars\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eUpright Women Wanted\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The writing is so atmospheric and detailed that I am convinced I have lived in San Francisco in the 1950s. It’s a passionate, smoldering romance that perfectly captures the feelings of falling in love for the first time.”—Christina Soontornvat, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author and Newbery Honoree\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A beautiful representation of Chinese American culture and what it means to be a queer person of color. If I can get you to buy ONE book this year, let it be this one.\"—Selene from @moongirlreads_\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Lo's writing is so rich you can practically feel the glow of neon bar lights radiating off the page.”\u003ci\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author Casey McQusiton for \u003ci\u003eEntertainment Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A novel for anyone who has ever dared to wonder 'what if?'\"—Lisa Yee for NPR\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Malinda Lo was, for so many of us who write and read books about queer girlhood, the first introduction to seeing ourselves on the page. Her latest book continues that legacy with this startlingly beautiful historical coming-of-age.”—Leah Johnson for Reese's Book Club\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Beautifully done.\"—The Today Show \"What to... Read\" selection by Jason Mott, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eHell of a Book.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This stunning work of historical fiction effectively depicts both the thrills of young queer love and the horrors of racism and the Red Scare.\"—\u003ci\u003eBoston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A must-read.\"\u003ci\u003e—Us Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"The Price of Salt \u003c\/i\u003emeets\u003ci\u003e Saving Face \u003c\/i\u003ein this gripping historical thriller from the celebrated author of \u003ci\u003eAsh.... Last Night at the Telegraph Club\u003c\/i\u003e is proof of Lo's skill at creating darkly romantic tales of love in the face of danger.\u003ci\u003e\"—O, The Oprah Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Lush, ambitious and layered, Malinda Lo’s sweeping historical novel is the queer romance we’ve been waiting for.”—\u003ci\u003eMs. Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A vivid must-read.\"\u003ci\u003e—Bay Area Reporter\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Lo taps into the evocative San Francisco of yesteryear while deftly navigating McCarthyism, ethnicity, sexuality, and the 'Lavender Scare' in this striking novel that holds some unnerving contemporary parallels.\"—\u003ci\u003eToledo Blade\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This queer coming-out and coming-of-age story reverberates with dangers, dilemma and a dream deferred.\"—\u003ci\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A journey of self-discovery that's as necessary as it is dangerous.\"—PopSugar.com\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"An enthralling historical lesbian romance.\"—WBUR\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Malinda Lo is an absolute icon.\"—BuzzFeed\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A joy to read.\"\u003ci\u003e—The Advocate\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Tender and meditative.\"—\u003ci\u003eGlamour \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"\u003c\/i\u003eA gripping novel where historical fiction meets romance, \u003ci\u003eLast Night at the Telegraph Club\u003c\/i\u003e is a whirlwind read set in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the Red Scare. Immersive and creative, Lo gets wrapped up in her fictitious world of adventure and adrenaline and follows Lily Hu as she seeks out the woman she loves.\"—\u003ci\u003eGay Times\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“A romance backed up by exquisite and meticulously recorded research. It’s about self discovery under a starry sky—and has enough in-depth personal growth to melt even the iciest of hearts.”—\u003ci\u003eRolling Stone\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"Whether or not YA fiction is your thing, this greatly admired, much-awarded novel should be on your radar. Set in 1950s San Francisco, it tells the story of a Chinese American 17-year-old whose friendship with another girl causes her to question her sexuality. Diligently researched, the novel doubles as a vivid historical document of midcentury queer life and Chinatown during the Red Scare.\"\u003ci\u003e—The Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ “Finally, the intersectional, lesbian, historical teen novel so many readers have been waiting for.”—\u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ “A must-read love story…alternately heart-wrenching and satisfying.”—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ \"\u003ci\u003eLast Night at the Telegraph Club\u003c\/i\u003e is a work of historical fiction that’s as meticulously researched as it is full of raw, authentic emotion.... Shout it from the highest hills: This is a beautiful, brave story, and Lily is a heroine that readers will love.”—\u003ci\u003eBookPage,\u003c\/i\u003e starred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ \"This immersive, powerful coming-of-age novel tackles perceptions, expectations, and identity while sweeping readers into smoky lesbian nightclubs and ’50s culture.” —\u003ci\u003eBCCB, \u003c\/i\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ ”Smoothly referencing cultural touchstones and places with historic Chinese American significance, Lo conjures 1950s San Francisco adeptly while transcending historicity through a sincere exploration of identity and love.”—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly,\u003c\/i\u003e starred review \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ \"Historically accurate and well-researched.\"—\u003ci\u003eSLC,\u003c\/i\u003e starred review \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ \"A riveting, emotionally stirring tale.... \u003ci\u003eLast Night at the Telegraph Club—\u003c\/i\u003efocused on unapologetically embracing one's true self—is a spectacular addition to the young adult historical fiction genre.\"—Shelf Awareness, starred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ \"This standout work of historical fiction combines meticulous research with tender romance to create a riveting bildungsroman.\"—\u003ci\u003eHorn Book,\u003c\/i\u003e starred review \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA NPR Best Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eBoston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA\u003ci\u003e BookPage\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eSLJ\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e Editors' Choice\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eHorn Book\u003c\/i\u003e Fanfare Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA BCCB Blue Ribbon Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Chicago Public Library Best Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Boston Public Library Best Read\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA New York Public Library Best Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Goodreads Choice Finalist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Book Riot Best Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn Autostraddle Best Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Top Eleven Title\u003cbr\u003eWiner of the Chinese American Library Association Award for Best Young Adult Book\u003cbr\u003eKids's Book Choice Teen Book of the Year\u003c\/b\u003eMalinda Lo is the\u003ci\u003e New York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author of \u003ci\u003eLast Night at the Telegraph Club,\u003c\/i\u003e winner of the National Book Award, the Stonewall Book Award, and the Asian\/Pacific American Award for Literature, as well as Michael L. Printz and Walter Dean Myers honors. Her debut novel \u003ci\u003eAsh\u003c\/i\u003e, a Sapphic retelling of Cinderella, was a finalist for the William C. Morris YA Debut Award, the Andre Norton Award for YA Science Fiction and Fantasy, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, and the Lambda Literary Award. Malinda’s short fiction and nonfiction has been published by \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, NPR, Autostraddle, \u003ci\u003eThe Horn Book\u003c\/i\u003e, and multiple anthologies. She lives in Massachusetts with her wife and their dog.\u003cp\u003eThe first time Lily had gone to Thrifty had been sometime last year. She had ducked in to buy a box of Kotex, because she hadn’t wanted to get them at the pharmacy in Chinatown, where she’d risk running into people she knew. Thrifty was just outside the neighborhood, so her friends didn’t usually go there. She had soon discovered that Thrifty had another advantage over the Chinatown pharmacy: it had a very good selection of paperback novels. There were several rotating racks of them in a sheltered alcove beyond the sanitary napkin aisle. One was full of thrillers with lurid covers depicting scantily clad women in the embrace of swarthy men. Lily normally bypassed that rack but today she paused, drawn in by\u003ci\u003eThe Castle of Blood\u003c\/i\u003e, on which the blonde’s red gown seemed about to slip off her substantial bosom, nipples straining against the thin fabric.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe book rack alcove was normally deserted, but even so, Lily spun the rack self-­consciously, retreating behind it so that she was hidden from view. The women on these book covers seemed to have a lot of trouble keeping their clothes on. The men loomed behind them or clutched them in muscular arms, bending the women’s bodies backward so that their breasts pointed up.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere was something disturbing about the illustrations—­and it wasn’t the leering men. It was the women’s pliant bodies, their bare legs and lush breasts, mouths like shiny red candies. One of the books had two women on the cover, a blonde and a brunette. The blonde wore a pink negligee and knelt on the ground, eyes cast down demurely while the shapely brunette lurked behind her. The title was\u003ci\u003eStrange Season\u003c\/i\u003e, and the tagline read, “She couldn’t escape the unnatural desires of her heart.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn electric thrill went through Lily. She glanced around the edge of the book rack, sharply conscious that she was still in public, but although she could hear the ringing of the cash register at the front of the store, she didn’t see anyone approaching her corner. She went back to the book, opening it carefully so that she didn’t crease the spine, and began to read. The book was about two women in New York City: a young and inexperienced blonde, Patrice; and an older brunette, Maxine. When Patrice was jilted by her boyfriend in public, Maxine took pity on her and helped her get home. Thus began their somewhat confusing relationship, which veered from Maxine setting up Patrice with new men, to strangely suggestive conversations between the two women.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbout halfway through the book, things took a turn. Patrice arrived unexpectedly at Maxine’s Fifth Avenue penthouse, distraught after a bad date, and Maxine began to comfort her.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e“Why do I want to kiss you?” Patrice whispered as Maxine stroked her long blond hair.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eMaxine’s fingers jerked, but then she resumed the rhythmic petting. “I don’t know, Patty, why do you?”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePatrice twisted around on the couch, rising to her knees. “Max, I’d rather be here with you than on any date!”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLily turned the page, her heart racing, and she could barely believe what she read next.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eMaxine pushed Patrice back against the velvet cushions, lowering her mouth to the girl’s creamy skin. “You’re like me, Patrice. Stop fighting the possibility.” Patrice whimpered as Maxine pressed her lips to her neck.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e“Max, what are you doing?” Patrice gasped. “This is shameful.”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e“You know what I’m doing,” Maxine whispered. She unbuttoned Patrice’s blouse and slid the fabric over Patrice’s shoulder, stroking her breasts. Patrice let out a sigh of pure pleasure.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e“Kiss me now,” Patrice whispered.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eMaxine obeyed, and the sensation of Patrice’s mouth against hers was a delight far beyond shame.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLily heard the creak of wheels rolling in her direction, and she quickly peeked around the book rack, her skin flushed. A clerk was pushing a metal cart stacked with boxes of Kleenex past the shelves of Modess and Kotex. She hurriedly closed the book and stuffed it into the rack behind the novel\u003ci\u003eFramed in Guilt\u003c\/i\u003e. She sidled over to the next rack—­science fiction—­and pretended to peruse the books.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHer position enabled her to keep an eye on the clerk, who was restocking the shelves at the end of the aisle. She itched to return to\u003ci\u003eStrange Season\u003c\/i\u003e, but she didn’t dare read it while the clerk was so nearby—­and she could never, ever buy it. The clerk was moving so slowly she felt as if she might jump out of her skin.Usually the science fiction rack was her favorite, but today her eyes skipped over the cover illustrations of planets and rocket ships without registering them. She couldn’t stop imagining Patrice and Maxine on that couch together. She wanted to know—­she\u003ci\u003eneeded\u003c\/i\u003e to know—­what happened next, but as the minutes ticked past, she realized she wouldn’t find out today. She had to go get Frankie from school. She cast one last look at the rack that held\u003ci\u003eStrange Season\u003c\/i\u003e, and left.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Dutton Books for Young Readers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300876341477,"sku":"NP9780525555278","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780525555278.jpg?v=1767731175","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/last-night-at-the-telegraph-club-isbn-9780525555278","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}