Pasadena Picks 'On Gold Mountain' for 2027 Reading
The Pasadena Public Library selected Lisa See's novel for its One City, One Story program, which expands to two months for its 25th anniversary.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Asian-American
The Pasadena Public Library chose Lisa See's 'On Gold Mountain' as the 2027 selection for its One City, One Story program. Programs and book discussions are planned for March and April 2027, ending with a public conversation with See.
Why it matters
The selection gives Pasadena residents a shared reading experience centered on Chinese American family history in Los Angeles. The program's expansion to two months marks its 25th anniversary year.
The One City, One Story program began in Pasadena in 2002, and the 2027 season marks its 25th anniversary with an expanded two-month schedule. A 20-member committee of community volunteers, led by Senior Librarian Christine Reeder, made the selection.
The players
Lisa See
Lisa See is a bestselling American novelist whose works explore Chinese American history and her own family heritage, and 'On Gold Mountain' was a national bestseller and New York Times Notable Book.
Pasadena Public Library
The Pasadena Public Library is the municipal library system that runs the One City, One Story community reading program since 2002.
The details
'On Gold Mountain' was first published in 1995 and grew from stories See heard at her family's antiques business in Los Angeles Chinatown. See interviewed nearly 100 relatives and spent about five years researching at the National Archives and historical societies.
Timeline
Nov. 2, 2026: Library announced the 2027 selection in a news release.
March–April 2027: Programs and book discussions take place.
Saturday, April 10, 2027: Public conversation with Lisa See at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.
Culture Shift
Pasadena's One City, One Story program, running since 2002, continues its tradition of shared civic reading, and this year's pick extends it into Asian American family history. The 2027 season's expansion to two months marks the program's 25th anniversary.
Pasadena residents can join free library programs and book discussions in spring 2027 to read and talk about the selected title together. The April 10 conversation with Lisa See offers an in-person opportunity to hear from the author.
The takeaway
Shared reading programs like One City, One Story give residents a common text for conversation across neighborhoods. Readers can borrow the selected book from the library ahead of the spring 2027 discussions.
What happens next
Programs and book discussions take place in March and April 2027, culminating in a public conversation with Lisa See on Saturday, April 10, 2027, at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.
Further reading
Explore more in Asian-American coverage on the Pasadena reading program and its literary themes.
More information
Find program resources on the One City, One Story program information page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Pasadena Now.
