We Were Dreamers

An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story

By: Simu Liu

Narrated by: Simu Liu

Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

The star of Marvel’s first Asian superhero film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, tells his own origin story of being a Chinese immigrant, his battles with cultural stereotypes and his own identity, becoming a TV star, and landing the role of a lifetime.

In this honest, inspiring and relatable memoir, newly minted superhero Simu Liu chronicles his family's journey from China to the bright lights of Hollywood with razor-sharp wit and humor.

Simu's parents left him in the care of his grandparents, then brought him to Canada when he was four. Life as a Canuck, however, is not all that it was cracked up to be; Simu's new guardians lack the gentle touch of his grandparents, resulting in harsh words and hurt feelings. His parents, on the other hand, find their new son emotionally distant and difficult to relate to—although they are related by blood, they are separated by culture, language, and values.

As Simu grows up, he plays the part of the pious child flawlessly—he gets straight A's, crushes national math competitions and makes his parents proud. But as time passes, he grows increasingly disillusioned with the path that has been laid out for him. Less than a year out of college, at the tender age of 22, his life hits rock bottom when he is laid off from his first job as an accountant. Left to his own devices, and with nothing left to lose, Simu embarks on a journey that will take him far outside of his comfort zone into the world of show business.

Through a swath of rejection and comical mishaps, Simu's determination to carve out a path for himself leads him to not only succeed as an actor, but also to open the door to reconciling with his parents.

We Were Dreamers is more than a celebrity memoir—it's a story about growing up between cultures, finding your family, and becoming the master of your own extraordinary circumstance.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Simu Liu (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic Reviews

"Simu Liu is a natural narrator, conversational and appealing as he shares his engaging story of pursuing acting and finding eventual stardom as the headliner of a Marvel superhero movie.... Liu's driven yet playful personality shines through as he tackles the highs and lows of chasing his dream." (AudioFile)

This Asian-American Approves.

Such a great listen, and heavily resonated with me as an Asian American. Some parts were incredibly touching, and I cried a few times! It does justice to representing the struggles that our immigrant parents went through, but how that affects the connections that we create with them growing up in a totally different world.

Only con is that there are some points where his voice is too low and I couldn't hear or had trouble hearing some parts while driving. But otherwise Simu does an incredible job narrating his tale, and at many points can you hear the severe emotion in his voice. it's incredibly moving.

Just stop and listen to this book

I. Can’t. Even. Begin to describe what a joy it was to listen to this book. I cried a lot. I sobbed a little. I laughed a ton. This is a book for ( mostly ) all ages. Tell your mom to read this. Give a copy to your son. Gift this to yourself.

Incredible story and brilliantly told.

Overwhelmed reading this audio book! Simu Liu you are a real life superhero. This books in so many places has so much inspiration for people of colour. Power to you. Big fan!

Excellent, Excellent, Excellent

I was weary of this initially but I must say that this story was were crafted and told. This is story of overcoming life’s challenges and being honest about it. I was pleased to hear about struggles he had with his parents with such candor. While I am not an immigrant I appreciated the story. I liked his portrayal of a superhero and think that as an actor he will continue to do well. I really, 100% loved this book and therefore endorse it as excellent.

I was a fan before…

I’m an even bigger fan now. What a great read (listen). Simu Liu seems like an all-around nice guy. I admire celebrities who use their platform to advocate for social justice. So happy for his successes.

A challenge to get through

I never knew or heard of Simu Liu before this book. I bought this audiobook because I enjoy autobiographies, the title was intriguing, and the story line was interesting. By Chapter 5, I couldn’t wait for the book to be done. I finish all books I start but this one was tough. I tried to keep an open mind, listen to what the author was saying and find a valuable “take away“. The book has value in the experiences and insight shared by the author. But I found him to be too egotistical and egocentric. He is not as funny or loving as he thinks himself to be. The author is a year younger than my daughter and 2 years older than my son, yet so different in mindset, values, maturity - for the worse. Well listening to the book, I took breaks to look up and watch some of his acting appearances. It didn’t help me enjoy the book or appreciate the author. Congratulations to Simu on his success but the book did not make me a fan of his.

All the emotions

Simu’s book is full of amazing and heart wrenching moments. He really has a knack for pulling you in and catching your attention. Really has a beautiful way of feeling his emotions with his amazing story!

Who knew a memoir could hit me so personally

Simu's life events are so different from mine, yet his relationships and feelings are mine. What his parents and grandparents instilled in him were what i too learned and have inside me. This memoir has bridged a long time gap for westernized immigrant children. Also it's a demonstration of his true talent in the literary arts - spoken and written. I'll be recommending this to everyone. it's beautiful.

Absolutely awesome!

What an awesome story. Simu kept me interested in the story from beginning to end and gave incredible insight into being from an immigrant home. It opened my eyes to the many struggles faced without feeling as though any of the blame was being leveled at me. I'm actually sorry the book is over...

Authentic and Vulnerable Immigrant Story

I absolutely loved Simu’s authentic and inspiring nature of storytelling. Such a pleasure hearing about his family’s immigrant story!