I plowed through Pachinko earlier this year and loved it. It was one of those books I couldn't put down and would read deep into the night.

I was very excited when I found out that the Mercantile was hosting an evening with Pachinko's author Min Jin Lee. 

After reading a short section from Pachinko, Min Jin Lee fielded questions from the crowd. I could have listened to her all night (like I had reading her book). Her thoughts on the importance of fiction, why writing should feel like a passionate affair (otherwise why do it?), man's purpose (to protect and provide), and keeping a low overhead as a writer (or creatives in general) stuck with me the most.

I should also note that I was one of the only men in the room. That was a more common occurrence this week. It's not super surprising since Min Jin Lee is a female author, and the other events were female-led (soul collage and an Enneagram class). However, it is somewhat sad considering how much us men can learn from our brilliant sisters around the world.