Xiaolu Guo: A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers

Xiaolu Guo, a Chinese-born British author, discusses her novel, *A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers*, which explores the cultural and linguistic challenges faced by a young Chinese woman, Z, in London. The conversation examines the role of language learning in developing intimacy, highlighting how Z's improving English both connects and alienates her from her English lover. Guo reflects on the novel's themes of cultural identity, loneliness, and the immigrant experience, noting how Z's initial outrage at Western culture evolves over time. Listeners' questions prompt Guo to discuss the complexities of writing in a second language and the nuances of cross-cultural relationships, including differing perspectives on privacy and sexual morality.