Hey, it's NPR's book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbaugh. Kevin Kwan is on the pod today. He is the

author of the hugely popular crazy rich Asians book series. The books he's putting out now, though,

they're still about Asians who are crazy rich, but it's a more transnational take on love and wealth and status and culture.

In a bit, we'll hear about his latest book, Lies and Weddings, but first, I want to play for

you this interview he did back in summer 2020 with former NPR host Lulu Garcia Navarro.

It's about his previous book, Sex and Vanity.

And it's an interesting interview because, well, obviously the book isn't about COVID,

but think about the mindset we were all in during summer 2020.

And the conversation becomes a sneaky advocate for art that manages to, yes, provide some

escapism from the every day without shying away from certain

topics that do affect us in the real world. That's ahead. In the U.S., national security news

can feel far away from daily life. Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors

on our new show, Sources and Methods.

NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people, helping you understand why distant

events matter here at home.

Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

The settings, a lavish capri wedding, Italian villas, mansions in the Hamptons, and a mega yacht,

of course.

The love interest, George Zhao, a Chinese Australian surfer, and Lucy Tang Churchill,

of yes, those Churchill's.

The book, Sex and Vanity.

It could only be written by Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians,

...