Get our latest staff recommendations, award news and digital catalog links right to your inbox.
Table of Contents
About The Book
How do we live so that we are satisfied? How can people connect during moments of loneliness? This is the story of Joan Liang, a woman who moves across the world to America, and in trying to answer these questions builds a wildly original life.
Joan’s life is a series of unexpected events: she never thought she would live in California, nor did she expect her first marriage to implode—especially as quickly and spectacularly as it did. She definitely did not expect to fall in love with an older, wealthy American man and become his fourth wife and mother to his youngest children.
Joan and her children grow older, and one day she makes a drastic change: she opens the Satisfaction Café, a place where customers can find connection through conversation. With humor and grace, Joan creates a space for meaningful relationships and constructs a lasting legacy.
Vivid, comic, and profoundly moving, The Satisfaction Café is a novel about found family, the joy and loneliness that come with age, and how we can seek satisfaction at any stage of life. This is a novel of tremendous pleasures: sentences that teem with rich observations, wonderful plotting, and, in Joan, a protagonist for the ages.
Joan’s life is a series of unexpected events: she never thought she would live in California, nor did she expect her first marriage to implode—especially as quickly and spectacularly as it did. She definitely did not expect to fall in love with an older, wealthy American man and become his fourth wife and mother to his youngest children.
Joan and her children grow older, and one day she makes a drastic change: she opens the Satisfaction Café, a place where customers can find connection through conversation. With humor and grace, Joan creates a space for meaningful relationships and constructs a lasting legacy.
Vivid, comic, and profoundly moving, The Satisfaction Café is a novel about found family, the joy and loneliness that come with age, and how we can seek satisfaction at any stage of life. This is a novel of tremendous pleasures: sentences that teem with rich observations, wonderful plotting, and, in Joan, a protagonist for the ages.
Reading Group Guide
Join our mailing list! Get our latest staff recommendations, award news and digital catalog links right to your inbox.
By clicking 'Sign me up' I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the privacy policy and terms of use.
THE SATISFACTION CAFÉ Reading Group Guide
This reading group guide for The Satisfaction Café includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
Introduction
Like many people, Joan Liang could never have predicted the way her life would turn out. As her circumstances change in surprising ways, Joan revisits her childhood dream of a Satisfaction Café—a destination where people can feel, at least temporarily, a little less lonely. She eventually makes her dream a reality and creates a place of human connection, not only for herself, but for her community.
Topics and Questions for Discussion
1. In the opening paragraph, the reader is told that Joan “was married for only six weeks before she stabbed her husband” (page 3). How does this line set up your expectations for the novel? What does it do for the tone of the book?
2. The novel is divided into four parts: “The Trick to a Good Marriage,” “The House Was Promised,” “The Demon Rock,” and “How to Start a Conversation.” How do the events in each section relate to their respective titles?
3. Joan fears the judgment of her family and friends when she gets divorced, yet ends up marrying Bill, a thrice-divorced American man. What role does divorce play in the novel? Discuss how the novel portrays divorce from various perspectives involved (spouses, children, friends).
4. Compare Joan’s marriage to Milton with her marriage to Bill. How are they different? Are there any ways in which they are similar? How does Joan’s relationship with Bill transform across their life together?
5. Joan doesn’t “believe in telling people they would never die,” even when it comes to her children (page 88), but other characters (Misty, Bill, and Lee) all fret about dying. How does the novel explore the end of life and its psychological effect on the characters?
6. When discussing Theo’s career wishes with Bill, Joan withholds her opinion, noting that “it was just one of those unfortunate circumstances of marrying a man who’s already lived a
whole other life before meeting you” (page 108). Discuss the age and experience gap between Joan and Bill and how that affects their marriage. What are the expectations on each side?
7. Jamie quickly accepted Lee as his sister when Joan adopted her, and “Lee generally worshipped Jamie, in the manner that older siblings are worshipped ” (page 109). Talk about Jamie and Lee’s relationship. How does their relationship differ from the relationships between the other siblings in the novel?
8. Joan faces microaggressions throughout her life, such as being mistaken for her children’s nanny instead of their mother. How do these instances affect Joan? Her children? Would Joan’s reaction be different had she been born in a different era?
9. Bill is surprised to hear that Joan says she loves their children more than she loves him. According to Joan, “in Taiwan, you were always supposed to love the next generation more, or at least say you did” (page 125). Why do you think this is? How do you feel about this sentiment, and is it different from your own cultural norms?
10. Joan and Misty’s respective pregnancies and experiences of motherhood couldn’t be more different. Talk about motherhood and parenting in the novel. Does either woman have a balanced view of motherhood versus maintaining their own identity?
11. When discussing Japan’s host/hostess clubs, Joan thinks: “Young people like Lee and Marc imagined loneliness as a consequence—something you did or didn’t do to end up on your own. . . . Youth didn’t understand, however, how much luck played into it, that loneliness wasn’t always a choice. Whereas at Joan’s age, you knew it was always somewhere ahead, waiting. It could happen to anyone (page 221). How is loneliness explored throughout the novel? Do you agree with Joan that one’s relationship to loneliness changes with age?
12. After opening the café, Joan finds herself “falling in love all over the place” (page 239). What role does love play in the novel? How is love characterized and experienced? Is a particular kind of love (friendship, romantic, familial) more represented than others?
13. Joan reconnects with Trevor, one of Bill’s friends, later in life and wonders what could have been. Eventually she wishes “he could have stayed as he was in her memory, a younger point of eternal possibility” (page 254). What do you think Joan means here? Why is this important to her?
14. When talking about one of her regular customers, Joan mulls over the concept of normalcy. She thinks, “Sure, Dustin’s habits may not have been normal. But was Lee and Jamie moving home, spending so much time with their mother, normal?” (page 273). What is considered “normal” in Joan’s world? In what ways does Joan’s life deviate from the norm?
15. After opening the Satisfaction Café, Joan feels “it was as if all the doors of her past were open and she could walk freely between. This is what the café had brought her” (page 291). Talk about the café and what it offers its customers. If there were a real Satisfaction Café, would you try it out? What sort of services and food dishes would your café offer?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Early in the novel, Joan decides to take community classes to address her loneliness. Consider signing up for a community class near you.
2. Visit your local or favorite café and imagine it as the Satisfaction Café. Can you visualize what it would look like?
This reading group guide for The Satisfaction Café includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
Introduction
Like many people, Joan Liang could never have predicted the way her life would turn out. As her circumstances change in surprising ways, Joan revisits her childhood dream of a Satisfaction Café—a destination where people can feel, at least temporarily, a little less lonely. She eventually makes her dream a reality and creates a place of human connection, not only for herself, but for her community.
Topics and Questions for Discussion
1. In the opening paragraph, the reader is told that Joan “was married for only six weeks before she stabbed her husband” (page 3). How does this line set up your expectations for the novel? What does it do for the tone of the book?
2. The novel is divided into four parts: “The Trick to a Good Marriage,” “The House Was Promised,” “The Demon Rock,” and “How to Start a Conversation.” How do the events in each section relate to their respective titles?
3. Joan fears the judgment of her family and friends when she gets divorced, yet ends up marrying Bill, a thrice-divorced American man. What role does divorce play in the novel? Discuss how the novel portrays divorce from various perspectives involved (spouses, children, friends).
4. Compare Joan’s marriage to Milton with her marriage to Bill. How are they different? Are there any ways in which they are similar? How does Joan’s relationship with Bill transform across their life together?
5. Joan doesn’t “believe in telling people they would never die,” even when it comes to her children (page 88), but other characters (Misty, Bill, and Lee) all fret about dying. How does the novel explore the end of life and its psychological effect on the characters?
6. When discussing Theo’s career wishes with Bill, Joan withholds her opinion, noting that “it was just one of those unfortunate circumstances of marrying a man who’s already lived a
whole other life before meeting you” (page 108). Discuss the age and experience gap between Joan and Bill and how that affects their marriage. What are the expectations on each side?
7. Jamie quickly accepted Lee as his sister when Joan adopted her, and “Lee generally worshipped Jamie, in the manner that older siblings are worshipped ” (page 109). Talk about Jamie and Lee’s relationship. How does their relationship differ from the relationships between the other siblings in the novel?
8. Joan faces microaggressions throughout her life, such as being mistaken for her children’s nanny instead of their mother. How do these instances affect Joan? Her children? Would Joan’s reaction be different had she been born in a different era?
9. Bill is surprised to hear that Joan says she loves their children more than she loves him. According to Joan, “in Taiwan, you were always supposed to love the next generation more, or at least say you did” (page 125). Why do you think this is? How do you feel about this sentiment, and is it different from your own cultural norms?
10. Joan and Misty’s respective pregnancies and experiences of motherhood couldn’t be more different. Talk about motherhood and parenting in the novel. Does either woman have a balanced view of motherhood versus maintaining their own identity?
11. When discussing Japan’s host/hostess clubs, Joan thinks: “Young people like Lee and Marc imagined loneliness as a consequence—something you did or didn’t do to end up on your own. . . . Youth didn’t understand, however, how much luck played into it, that loneliness wasn’t always a choice. Whereas at Joan’s age, you knew it was always somewhere ahead, waiting. It could happen to anyone (page 221). How is loneliness explored throughout the novel? Do you agree with Joan that one’s relationship to loneliness changes with age?
12. After opening the café, Joan finds herself “falling in love all over the place” (page 239). What role does love play in the novel? How is love characterized and experienced? Is a particular kind of love (friendship, romantic, familial) more represented than others?
13. Joan reconnects with Trevor, one of Bill’s friends, later in life and wonders what could have been. Eventually she wishes “he could have stayed as he was in her memory, a younger point of eternal possibility” (page 254). What do you think Joan means here? Why is this important to her?
14. When talking about one of her regular customers, Joan mulls over the concept of normalcy. She thinks, “Sure, Dustin’s habits may not have been normal. But was Lee and Jamie moving home, spending so much time with their mother, normal?” (page 273). What is considered “normal” in Joan’s world? In what ways does Joan’s life deviate from the norm?
15. After opening the Satisfaction Café, Joan feels “it was as if all the doors of her past were open and she could walk freely between. This is what the café had brought her” (page 291). Talk about the café and what it offers its customers. If there were a real Satisfaction Café, would you try it out? What sort of services and food dishes would your café offer?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Early in the novel, Joan decides to take community classes to address her loneliness. Consider signing up for a community class near you.
2. Visit your local or favorite café and imagine it as the Satisfaction Café. Can you visualize what it would look like?
About The Author
Photograph by Nina Subin
Kathy Wang is the author of Family Trust, Imposter Syndrome, and The Satisfaction Café. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Harvard Business School, and lives in the Bay Area.
Product Details
- Publisher: Scribner (July 1, 2025)
- Length: 352 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668068946
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
“Wang’s deeply funny and feeling novel sneaks into your heart and takes over.” —Oprah Daily
“Wang’s writing is sharp, comical, and quietly heartbreaking. Perfect for readers who love an emotional slow burn, The Satisfaction Café is a poignant, darkly funny story about how we survive—and even sometimes thrive—after life doesn’t go as planned. At its heart, it is a moving portrait of how starting over can be its own kind of victory.” —Booklist
“Crisp and assured… independent and pragmatic, but also secretly soulful, Joan is a character capable of surprising the reader at every turn... Wang has a light touch, whether describing events that are heavy or mundane, and avoids sentimentality. This gratifies.” —Publishers Weekly
“Warm and thoughtfully told…Wang’s novel gives us a main character to root for.” —Kirkus
“The Satisfaction Café is both deep and wide, tracing the arc of a single life and then showing how that life ripples out across family, friends, and time. At every turn Joan proves to be more insightful and more necessary than people believed her to be, the result of which is this insightful, necessary, and beautiful novel.” —Ann Patchett
“Kathy Wang is a born storyteller, vivid and precise, deliciously cool-eyed, immensely readable.” —Jonathan Franzen
“The Satisfaction Café is big-hearted without being sentimental, profound without pretense, and witty without sacrificing sincerity—qualities that reflect its unforgettable protagonist, Joan. This is the kind of story that makes you want to write a thank you note to the author, call up an old friend, and gaze at strangers with greater compassion and curiosity. Kathy Wang bestows us with virtuoso prose, gentle wisdom, and a main character who stands among the best I’ve ever read. I fell in love with and savored this beautiful novel.” —Emily Habeck, author of Shark Heart
“Kathy Wang's outstanding novel is one of the best I've read in quite some time.
The protagonist is tough, opinionated, vulnerable, and wise, and it is a privilege to witness the arc of her life. I would have stayed with her for another three hundred pages.” —Mary Beth Keane, author of Ask Again, Yes
“This irresistible read traverses decades of a woman’s life. The twists are as unexpected yet realistic as the ones you’d hear from a neighbor or a friend. But the writing is uniquely endearing and funny, leaping off the page. You will be moved by this tale of resilience and taking delight in life despite hardships.” —Today.com's Most Anticipated Books of 2025
“Subtle, surprising, and elegantly constructed, The Satisfaction Café is an insightful and funny exploration of how seldom our choices feel like choices; how rare and elusive the idea of home can feel.” —Lynn Steger Strong, author of Flight
“Kathy Wang creates remarkably nuanced and affecting characters with such ease and economy. I found myself utterly captivated by The Satisfaction Café, immediately pulled into the beautifully told sweep of a whole life.
A marvelous book.” —Phil Klay, author of Redeployment
“An intimate portrait of a life unlike any I have read before. I loved this novel and its heroine so much. Kathy Wang writes with humor, wisdom and compassion. A must-read.” —J. Courtney Sullivan, author of The Cliffs
“Reading Kathy Wang is like talking to your best friend. The Satisfaction Café evokes the narrative power of classic Anne Tyler, tracing the journey of a Chinese-American woman with Wang's signature humor, warmth and wisdom. I want to share this novel with everyone.” —Janice Y. K. Lee, author of The Piano Teacher
“The Satisfaction Café is a beautiful, intimate novel that takes the reader, again and again, to unexpected places. Kathy Wang’s characters are so real and flawed and human you expect them to spring from the page. What a breath of fresh air-- a novel with nothing to prove and so much to give. I didn't want it to end.” —Lydia Kiesling, author of Golden State
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Satisfaction Café eBook 9781668068946
- Author Photo (jpg): Kathy Wang Photograph by Nina Subin(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
Join our mailing list!
By clicking 'Sign me up' I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the privacy policy and terms of use.
