Women of the Silk

An unforgettable historical novel of sisterhood, courage, and resilience set in 1920s rural China.

In Women of the Silk, Gail Tsukiyama takes readers to rural China in 1926, where a group of women forge an unbreakable sisterhood amidst the reeling machines that reverberate in a vast silk factory from dawn to dusk.

Sent by her family to work in the factory just prior to World War II, Pei grows to womanhood working fifteen-hour days, faithfully sending her pay to the family who abandoned her. Facing harsh labor conditions, these young women discover strength in their shared ambition, dreams, and friendship. Together, they unite to lead the first strike their village has ever seen, fighting to achieve the freedom they could never have hoped for on their own.

With graceful prose and vivid historical detail, Tsukiyama weaves the realities of silk production and Chinese village life into a moving story of female solidarity and courage.