5 comments about The Chopsticks-Fork Principle: A Memoir and Manual.

1. Rebeccasreads highly recommends THE CHOPSTICKS-FORK PRINCIPLE for anyone interested in hybrid childhoods & bicultural lifestyles.
   
   Cathy Bao Bean, an immigrant from China (circa 1950s), recounts how she figured out how to be herself while attempting to satisfy disparate cultural norms. Through her ebullient & articulate voice, we discover some slightly warped wisdom & a mess of good cheer.
   
   THE CHOPSTICKS-FORK PRINCIPLE is a memoir about how to reconcile the expectations of families & society at large, & how to raise a child in a respectful context while also choosing the "path less traveled". Race, class, & gender issues interweave seamlessly in her wry & sly narrative, all spiced with the sweet & sour, the serious & hilarious.



2. Cathy came to speak at my college class today and I have to say she is an awesome lady with great insight on life. She's also very funny. She read some exerpt from her book and it really got the class laughing. Her concept of the fork and chopstick is ingenius, I loved it. Her writing style is also very descriptive and witty. If you like to laugh, you'll love this book.

   I am very excited about reading this book. HAPPY READING!




3. This is a wonderful book, with great stories and intriguing perspectives. Anyone who is a parent would benefit from reading it. It provides an excellent window to education/learning, intergenerational harmony, and cross-cultural communication.



4. As a 60 year old who was sent to summer camp when I was 4 years old, went to public school in New York City until high school and then wound up commuting to Columbia College on the #4 bus because my parents considered me too young to live away from home; as the husband of an art collector who has never been encumbered by anyone's opinion of right or wrong; as a parent, as a son......it was pure delight to read this book.

   Yes, we've known Bennett Bean for 20 years. We have collected his work, commissioned him to make a multi-media painting for our home and we have been working with him for four years on a carpet project......we understand and celebrate his sense of joy and adventure in making art.......and we did know his wife, Cathy, but not the way we know her now.

   Cathy Bao Bean writes with style, grace, wit, relevance. I have sent her book to our children to read so they can see down the road of child-rearing. I have sent her book to friends my age so the see that they are not alone in their feelings.

   This book confirms the notion that gems exist outside the normal publishing distribution channels......and how major businesses miss great opportunities every day.

   WARNING, CAUTION: This book may cause you a problem. You will want to read it very quickly.....please do not do this. Savor it, read it very slowly.

   DOUG ANDERSON




5. Not a traditional memoir, The Chopsticks/Fork Principle is more of a love-letter to the author?s family, friends and to life in general. But it is never sentimental or maudlin. Ms. Bean has taken her Eastern heritage and blended it (not without some lumps and bumps) with her Western lifestyle, to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Her delight in what her life has brought her will sweep the reader into a special world that is, indeed, a very nice place to visit. Her wry, dry and sly humor, her sharp wit, her genuine wisdom and her slightly off-center philosophy of life and living, make this a rare treat - a truly charming book.
   Cathy Bao Bean deliberately chooses to see the best side of people and, whenever possible, events. To do this, she has allowed time to mellow hurts and humor to cushion memories.
   As someone who grew up in New York at about the same time as the author, I confess to being unaware of the discrimination against Chinese Americans, especially following World War II when many Chinese were mistaken for Japanese. Ms. Bean tells her stories with humor and subtlety, which gives them a resonance they might not have had in less skillful, or kindly, hands.
   One of the author?s childhood stories really surprised me. At about the age of ten, her parents sent her to summer camp. ... Her tales of camp were a trip down memory lane for me, and a reminder of how shared experiences - especially good ones - create bonds between people, no matter what their origins or differences.
   As a ?manual,? The Chopsticks/Fork Principle has much to teach about relationships with people, nature and community.
   If you are looking for a meaningful gift for Valentine?s Day or Mother?s Day, this is a good one!

3 comments about Chasing Hepburn: A Memoir of Shanghai, Hollywood, and a Chinese Family's Fight for Freedom.

1. Get ready to give up your weekend because once you pick up this book you won't be able to put it down. Lee's dramatic descriptions cover the conflicts between historical Eastern and Western traditions woven into poignant family events. While his relatives and their antics seem quirky and particular, in fact they resonate with all families facing abrupt changes and adaptation --be they generational or cultural. For those who have read and loved China Boy and Honor and Duty, Chasing Hepburn gives us the pre-story we've all been wondering about.



2. Get ready to give up your weekend because once you pick up this book you won't be able to put it down. Lee's dramatic descriptions cover the conflicts between historical Eastern and Western traditions woven into poignant family events. While his relatives and their antics seem quirky and particular, in fact they resonate with all families facing abrupt changes and adaptation --be they generational or cultural. For those who have read and loved China Boy and Honor and Duty, Chasing Hepburn gives us the pre-story we've all been wondering about.



3. In this remarkable memoir, Gus Lee presents a clear and compassionate picture of his parents, grandparents and their 'clans' set in turbulent times. He brings alive the social, historical, religious and cultural context which informs their actions and reactions making them comprehensible to a reader with a totally different cultural viewpoint. It reads like a multi-generational adventure novel where the characters play parts in or are impacted by major events, from the Taiping rebellion through the British opium trade to the civil wars that raged from the early twentieth century through the brutal Japanese occupation in WWII. It is a wild ride and a great read. Gus presents his forbears and related characters warts and all, but always with great compassion and subtlety. There are no cardboard characters. Readers of his novels, which have a strong autobiographical base, particularly 'China Boy', will know what a hard childhood he endured with a stern and distant father, a mother prone to 'magical' beliefs who died when he was five, and a rigid, vindictive step mother. In this memoir, Gus reveals to us what he subsequently discovered about his parents and he honors them both. Gus's own life has been a testament to using adversity to build strength. He has wasted no time blaming, or scoring points off his parents or using his experiences to excuse failings in his own life. There is no 'poor me' here. His story helped me understand a completely different belief system and cultural perspective. And it was at times moving, at other times funny, but always interesting.

No comments about From the bottom of Gold Mountain: A biography of Soleng Tom.

4 comments about A Woman Soldier's Own Story.

1. Xie Bingying was many things. Unfortunately, her autobiography does not convey this well, reading like a nationalist propaganda piece. She also did not write much about the political context of the times in which she lived, although I suspect that was deliberate. Her story is still fascinating, however, because of how she navigated the shifting social intersections of China in the turmoil of the early twentieth century. To understand what women went through during this period, this is a valuable resource. I wouldn't recommend it for casual reading though.



2. I have just read this book for a Chinese Women's history class, and I have found that it is nothing more than a hagiography that oversimplifies many complicated facets of Chinese culture. These days, it seems to be the vogue in literature to publish books by Asian women portraying them as hobbling, footbound victims of patriarchy and oppression. While it is true that Asian culture is definitely patriarchal and something that needs to be reformed, this book is another hackneyed account of a young woman trying to escape "feudal" social structures.
   I have no love for this book or any book like it because its message has been written and rewritten in various books by authors such as Amy Tan and Maxine Hong Kingston. The translators say in the introduction that Xie is the symbol of transition from "old" to "new" China. By not clearly defining what these interpretations are, they leave it to their audience to define what "old" and "new" are based on individual interpretaion. Moreover, Xie Bingying's black-and-white, old-and-new, feudal-and progressive viewpoint oversimplifies many complexities that face women in confronting modern gender ideals. If you have read Amy Tan or any other hackneyed works, I recommend skipping this book because it is another example of the oversimplification of cultural identity today.



3. Few people in the West realize how extraordinary this book is and how much it has influenced generations of young Chinese. I used to own the original (Chinese) version of this book while growing up as a boy in South America in the 60s. I used to read it for guidance and strength in the darkest days of my youth. I must have read and reread it a dozen times before I had to reluctantly part ways with it. This is a true modern classic that is often ignored by contemporary historians of Chinese literature, who prefer the shallowness of the likes of Sanmo. The War Diaries, which were praised by none other than Lin Yutang, are also worth reading; the translators should make them the subject of their next project.
   Fine as the edition is, I wish the cover had been different. I have never seen a likeness of Xie xiansheng before and almost overlook the book because I was misled by the photograph of the woman in uniform to think it was a book about the Cultural Revolution. But I am glad the editors have included the photographs contained in the insert. I have always matched the feistiness of the woman soldier with a rather robust physique: I am surprised how fragile and delicate Xie xiansheng actually was.
   This book is correctly listed as an autobiography but it reads like a fine novel, with memorable scenes and episodes. Without opening this translation and reading a single line, I can name a half dozen right off the top of my head: the foot-binding, the escapes, the dying brother, the impoverished former army girlfriend, the love triangle, etc. This book is to the Chinese literature what the Ann Frank diaries are to the European; it definitely should not be missed.



4. It is a great book! this book portrayed how women were mistreated in the early 20th century in China. In that old days, girls were not allowed to be educated. They only learned how to spin cotton and embroider,, how to be an obedient daughter, and later a dutiful daughter-in-law. The reading materials for them were highly restricted to certain books such as Teach Your Daughter Traditional Rules. The worst thing was that girls had bound feet! However, there were still a few "lucky one" be able to escape from these old customs. Of course, it wasn't easy. This autobiography described an extraordinary woman, Xie Bingying who struggled to free herself from the traaditional Chinese society--received education, freed from an arranged marriage, became a soldier in the National Revolutionary Army, etc. Her experience was extraordinary!! I like this book because it is not only a truth story, it also pertains very rich information about the old Chinese customs.

5 comments about The Gary Snyder Reader.

1. 
   Gary Snyder's writing style is clever and a part of poetic history--beat. This is a different kind of poetry. It's a good read.



2. Gary Snyder is an amazing person. He is an intellect. He is a poet. He is a teacher, a traveler, and he is a deeply spiritual man. He lives the life that we should all attempt to lead, a conscious thinking, methodical, contemplative life, asking questions arriving at conclusions and taking action.

   The Gary Snyder Reader is a good compilation of his life's work, the variety inside includes essay, interview, and poetry. This book is a well rounded view of his feelings and belief's about nature, and that of the nature of the soul, the nature of man. I agree with other reviews written here about the power of Synder's writing. His is a strong voice which is able to make a terrific argument about everything from the history of the Christian church and some reasons for underlying social perils to making a call for more activism in one's own community. Make a difference, be responsible, see things for what they are, yes this is all there.

   There is also the voice of pain, loss, suffering, anger, and very deep love. Above all else, one REALLY gets the feeling that Synder loves, passionately. Gary Snyder is an extremely talented writer and poet. The same voice that won the Pulitzer is still here. Do more than read and enjoy his works, read and be changed.




3. most of us first heard of snyder though kerouac's dharma bums. and i must confess that is why i was 1st attracted to him and his writings. but to list snyder as just another beat it not only inaccurate it does a diservice to him, his writings and his fearless intellect. snyder is not only a great poet but is also an insightful naturalist and a true zen master. this anthology is actually a zen bible for the 21st century, filled with enjoyable reading and great insights. these writings would make the soul of han shan dance, and sakyamuni smile. this is one of my favorite books. just reading it will lighten your spirit and make your soul dance with joy.



4. Gary Snyder's power appears to come from mountain, meandering and meditation. In this thick sampler we visit his life to age sixty-eight through notes, prose and poems. The soil of his writings range across a fire lookout station in the Cascade Range, a Japanese Zen temple, the engine room of a Pacific freighter, an audience with the Dalai Lama, work and climbs with Ginsberg, Kerouac, Lew Welch, and Nanao Sakaki, travel in Botswana and Zimbabwe with his sons. The essence of his power is nature. "Nature is not a place to visit, it is home-and within that home territory there are more familiar and less familiar places." Two sons, one Pulitzer, many other awards so far. He writes, he reads, he teaches. One hopes that he never tires of planting words in the soil that is us. If there are any legitimate Earth heroes, Gary Snyder is one.



5. Gary Snyder has been an inspiration to me and to a lot of other people for many years now. This book is a joy to read because it gives us so much of his poetry, as well as his philosophy of life, nature and Buddhism over a course of 46 years. Much of it has been pulled from his various books, but reading it again after time has passed brings a new perspective and an added appreciation for the work. Thanks Gary, for doing the real work for all these years.

No comments about A Place of One's Own: Stories of Self in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

5 comments about Our History Is Still Being Written: The Story of Three Chinese-Cuban Generals in the Cuban Revolution.

1. This is a great book for university students in the field of history or Latin American politics. Usually we are accustomed to reading only the interviews of Dr. Fidel Castro but rarely do we get a glimpse of others who did battle as well during the Cuban Revolution--1956-58--and these are the three Cuban-Chinese generals. This is a great oral history book on Cuban history as well as Cuban-Chinese relations. It is fascinating to read what these--highly intelligent--generals have to say about their Cuban Government and its role on international relations. A must have for any University student studying Latin American history and/or politics.



2. The collaborative work of Armando Choy, Gustavo Chui and Moises Sio Wong, Our History Is Still Being Written: The Story Of Three Chinese-Cuban Generals In The Cuban Revolution is the personal testimony of three individuals of Chinese-Cuban ancestry who became involved in the 1956-58 revolutionary war that ended the America-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, with lasting repercussions for socialist revolution in Latin America. Their stories cover not only the excitement of fifty years ago, but also the years since up to the modern day from problems with food shortages to postmodern wars of ideas. An appendix includes two essays by Fidel Castro and one by Nelson Mandela. Most Of Our History Is Still Being Written is told in interview/narrative format, directly from the mouths of the authors; black-and-white photographs offer glimpses of key turning points in Cuban history. A highly personalized yet nonetheless valuable look at the evolution of modern Cuban history and politics.



3. If you are at all serious about fundamental social change in this century, READ THIS BOOK:
   
   Although this book takes the form of interviews with three Cuban generals of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Chinese origins-- yes there are Chinese in Cuba, propotionately the immigration there was many times greater than to the U.S.; three are yes, generals in the armed forces and leaders of the revolution;no, not everyone of Chinese origins fled the Revolution-- the best part is that you get a wide ranging, broad-scope picture of the Cuban Revolution from the war against the Batista dictatorship through the "Bay of Pigs"/Playa Giron imperial invasion ( attempted, anyway) ; the October 1962 "missile" crisis; Cuba's role in defending Angola fron then-racist-apartheid South Africa, speeding the democratic revolution throughout southern Africa; the economic crisis of the early to mid 1990s; all the way to Cuba's solidarity aid to Venezuela in the teeth of the Empire's threats to both countries, and the current revolution-within-the-revolution known in Cuba as the Battle of Ideas. All this recounted by fighters who PARTICIPATED in these events ! The Cuban Revolution is not "holding out" or merely "surviving"; it is marching foward even if the future is one of struggle amid difficulties...the Cuban people, governemt and Revolution are WINNING. They are beating The Empire every day. Find out why-- read this book !



4. The three Cuban generals interviewed for this book are all of Chinese descent and shed interesting light on the Chinese-Cuban community (proportionately the largest in the Americas). But the heart of this book is the tremendous opportunity the Cuban Revolution has given these men to advance the cause of human solidarity. They have a down-to-earth approach and their reflections include striking examples as well as razor-sharp observations. Although all three are past retirement age, they all play leading roles in the revolution today, which they discuss in these interviews. This is ongoing history, which they are still living. In this book you get an inside look at the tremendous role Cuba played in Angola as well as a picture of the type of critical humanitarian solidarity Cuba is able to extend to Venezuela today. They show why a society based on international solidarity can successfully challenge the fangs-bared, dog-eat-dog example of the U.S. These interviews cover a variety of topics, such as racism, underdevelopment, the environment, agriculture, military strategy, and the role of youth. The photographs in this beautiful book are an education in themselves. While amazon may list this book as not available from time to time, it is always available from the Pathfinder z store listed under "new and used" at the top of this page.



5. Full of unexpected and detailed stories about Cuba in the world today...Yugoslavia could have withstood NATO bombings in the 1990s if army officers had used underground tunnels and the system of reserves put in place during World War II to allow the population to sustain itself, one of the Chinese-Cuban generals interviewed in this book says. He explains that Cuba's defense relies on such a system of reserves (not only food but also pencils and paper to keep schools open!): to give the rest of the world time to come to Cuba's aid and organize solidarity in the event of a military attack. So he spearheaded a wildly successful program in Cuba to develop urban agriculture and increase domestic food production. A part of this effort: convincing Cubans to eat veggies...the generals went to Angola to help fight the South African invasion in the 80s, one lost a leg there; one went to Venezuela on the recommendation of the UN to help them develop a food production program like the Cubans'...they all talk about what it was like growing up Chinese under the Batista dictatorship...Who would have guessed that the number of Chinese who moved to Cuba in the mid1800s was roughly the same as the number who moved to the US? An easy read, and you just never know what the next chapter will talk about.

4 comments about Charlie Two Shoes and the Marines of Love Company.

1. A fascinating and inspirational account of Tsui Chi Hsii's (Charlie Two Shoe's) long-suffering odyssey to come to the United States with his family. It turns out to be a lot more complicated story than you might expect and has the potential for being a Hell of a movie, with lots of opportunities for scenery chewing, but that probably won't happen. In fact there probably won't even be any paperback updating of the still unfinished story at time of publication because one of the coauthors, Michael Peterson, is now a convicted murderer whose other books are long out of print.
   
   Life is truly stranger than fiction.



2. My boyfriend bought me this book for Christmas, and I was thrilled. Not only am I a social studies teacher and a history buff, but I am priviledged enough to know Charlie Two Shoes. He owns a business in the town where I live and is always there with a smile and a friendly word. He autographed my book with the inscription "May God bless you and yours with health and joy." When I went by today to thank him for the inscription, he told me that there is a lot of history in this book that is not often told. While I have not yet finished the book, I have enjoyed what I have read so far. No matter what crimes have been committed by one of the authors, you should take the time to buy this book and read the interesting true life story of a truly wonderful man.



3. Charlie Two Shoes is a fascinating story of one man's friendship with a group of US Marines and his incredible perseverence in getting re-united with them. Peterson and Perlmutt tell the story through Charlie's eyes and those of his Marine pals. They give us an intriguing look at life behind the Bamboo Curtain. More amazing than Charlie's budding friendship -- he was around the Marines for about four years as a teenager -- is his enduring perseverance in keeping his dream of a reunion alive. The dream survived decades, including years in a Chinese prison and more under house arrest in his small village. After all that, his eventual reunion in the U.S. had drama of its own. One Marine buddy turned out to be more interested in his own fortunes than Charlie's,and Charlie's efforts to stay got mired as much in domestic politics as international. A good read by gifted writers.



4. Charlie Two Shoes and the Marines of Love Company is not only an inspiring story about friendships and loyalty, but also an excellent retelling of some little known American history. Set in Northern China starting at the end of World War II and continuing to recent times, the reader will learn about the atrocities visited upon the Chinese peasantry by the Japanese, the communist take over of China and America's futile efforts to stop it, the severe poverty and starvation the Chinese people endured, and the political repression and corruption that continued for years. Into the shadows of these desolate and hopeless conditions, the warmth and charity that the American Marines and missionaries brought with them to China and to a young boy, nick-named Charlie, shine brightly. The reader is invited on a journey through Charlie's life of joys and travails, but is pulled aside by the authors from time to time for some excellent and concise description of the historical context. Thus this true tale of friendship and suffering also enables the reader to also learn the larger story of the historical events which ultimately were its cause.

5 comments about A Thousand Pieces of Gold: Growing Up Through China's Proverbs.

1. Bad points:
   
   1. This book had some bizarre indexing. When I looked for relevant information about Bin Laden on the pages that were noted, not one bit of it was to be found.
   
   2. I have some questions about the historical accuracy of all of this. The logic that she used was something like: China was united under the first emperor, and its history goes all the way back to the Shang Dynasty. If that were true, then it would be simple to say that the United States was united at the time of the Declaration of Independence. Sloppy reasoning. There WAS no United States before the United States, the same way there was no Middle Kingdom before it was United. China then looked something like Japan did hundreds of years ago (warring states). It just happens that one of them became dominant (Qin) and created the China. (This type of weird logic is VERY COMMON all throughout China-- allowing Chinese people to claim an extra 2,500 years of history.)
   
   2. Typical Chinese chauvinism. Vietnam and China have not been friends for a LONG TIME. Vietnam has its own language and culture-- even that has existed through the occupation of China by Vietnam. It is not quite correct to say that Vietnam was "fundamentally Chinese."
   
   3. The origin of Japan has been mythologized in China as the crossing of some river at some point in time by some number of virgins to found Japan. (This is noted on page 84 in the book.) Is this REALLY historically accurate?
   
   4. She relies entirely on the writings of Sima Qian to provide her basis of history. It has been noted by many historians (W. Jenner, Jasper Becker) that Chinese sources are notoriously inaccurate. These writings that she references quote kings and advisers talking in couplets and with great eloquence. They hark back to the books of the Bible (put together based on oral traditions and written down decades/ centuries after the fact). It's questionable how much of this is actually historical fact and how much of it is written oral traditions.
   
   5.Talking to my students, they have NO IDEA what many ancient usages of Chinese words are. I find it hard to believe that this author could sit down and very simply (with a dictionary) read works from 2,000 years ago.
   
   Good points:
   
   1. The writing is light and easy to read.
   
   2. The stories are very interesting. They put a person in mind of Rudyard Kipling's "Just So Stories."
   
   3. It is very informative about how much barbarism went on in the early years of Chinese history. (The early Chinese have nothing on modern day Africans.)
   
   4. There is informative writings about the separation of Legalism and Confucianism. The treatment was by no means exhaustive, but one finds that people using this or that aspect of Confucianism to rationalize something tend to mix elements of Confucianism (=morality as the driving force for all things) vs. Legalism (discourse about authoritarianism in principle and practice).
   
   5. Crooked and abusive governments in China are and ALWAYS HAVE BEEN the status quo. It will never be any different because it never has been any different. The author has made this very clear from the different stories.
   
   6. It was also interesting to know that the archives of history are a *real thing* and consist of (at that time) 3,600 volumes and 45 million words. The phrase "historical archives" is very popular, but it does refer to an actual, tangible thing.
   
   In summary, this is just one more installment in a very long list of examples that shows that China has been a VERY SLOW/ POOR learner from history. Every single story seems to say "We've been here before."



2. Adeline Yeh Mah is an amazing author as her autobiography "Falling Leaves" reveals. This book weaves the meaning of various chinese words and expressions into her personal story in such a way that the reader more clearly understands the historical context and contemporary meaning of each. Very very enjoyable and informative reading!



3. I purchased this book by mistake thinking it was the Thousand Pieces of Gold by Mah. Each chapter is based on a Chinese Proverb with analogies between Chinese historical events and the author's life. Some attempt is made to equate some of these proverbs to English sayings, such as Pearl Harbor, some with more and some with less success. We generally don't go around saying "... a Pearl Harbor ..." or "... a Kennedy Assasination ..." as the book seems to imply. The book itself is a good reading from an historical perspective with explanations of how Chinese think. BTW my Chinese wife has not heard of some of these proverbs which makes me question their modern usage but then again China is a country about the same size of the US with a lot more people and the culture varies by province (changing though).



4. This book is composed of two interwoven tales: an autobiography of the author's life from the 1950s to the 1990s, and the history of China's formative years. These two tales are joined together at crucial points to illustrate how the lessons of life, love, war, and diplomacy practiced 3000 years ago by fuedal warlords are still applicable today, in this case in the life of the author.
   
   The author has had a challenging life as she had to put up with an unloving stepmother as a child and scheming siblings as an adult. She bore this anguish and torture quietly for most of her life until she finally quit her medical career and put her pain to words. The result was several books, with this as the latest. This illustrates various parts of her life and her relationships with various people, including family, friends, and people she met in her career. This latest offering shows how her relationships had parallels in the relationships between the various warlords and politicians involved in China's synthesis from 6+ various kingdoms about 3000 years ago.
   
   The text itself is broken into chapters, each of which is named after a famous Chinese proverb. Each chapter is then dedicated to the historical origins of that proverb, and how that proverb has applied to the author's life and to life in general.
   
   Overall, the book is good reading. It provides insight into the foundations of Chinese culture, how Chinese think, and the mindset of the Chinese people. To a lesser degree it also serves to illustrate the differences between Chinese and Western cultures.



5. Unlike Romance or Western languages, Chinese does not have an alphabet, it is written in calligraphic symbols which have been refined down the ages from their original representational caricatures. When we say: A picture is worth a thousand words, we are actually expressing a very Chinese idea. These proverbs consist of four characters, & speak pithily about things military, political, domestic & educational. What we call aphorisms.

   In A THOUSAND PIECES OF GOLD Adeline Yen Mah, whose memoir FALLING LEAVES Rebeccasreads also recommends, introduces us to the long tradition of the Chinese proverbs, & to the utterances many modern men have made upon the events of our own interesting times.

   Rebeccasreads highly recommends A THOUSAND PIECES OF GOLD as part memoir, history lesson, language study & insights into the Chinese way of looking at life.

2 comments about Paper Shadows: A Memoir of a Past Lost and Found.

1. Now a respected professor and novelist in Canada, Wayson Choy was 57 years old in 1999 when he learned that he had been adopted. This memoir is a result of that discovery and, even though some family secrets do get discovered, by the end of this 342 page-book, he and the reader understand that much of his suppressed family history will never be completely uncovered.
   
   I did enjoy the story itself, however, which deals almost exclusively with his childhood years. Born in Vancouver in 1939, his memory of those early ears and his simple descriptions put me right into the young boy's mind.. He's the only child of hard-working Chinese immigrants in the land they refer to as Golden Mountain. Chinatown in those years was a world unto itself, and the young boy was loved and cherished by his parents as well as a large assortment of "uncles" whose own families were still back in China.
   
   Through his eyes we see the elaborate Chinese operas, which were transported to Canadian soil, and which his mother always enjoyed. We see his early encounters with English books and his strong will to learn to read. We see him go to a Canadian nursery school and learn about the Christian religion. We understand his Chinese roots and the many ghosts and spirits that are part of his Chinese culture. We meet his dog and have to laugh at the way this loving pet took over his life. Chinatown becomes real for the reader and so does the boy's obsession with cowboys and refusal to go to a traditional Chinese school. Most of the book was devoted to this very detailed portrait. Basically, this childhood was filled with love and little trauma.
   
   It was only in the last couple of chapters when we join him in his quest for his family secrets. This is written in the same simple style and delves deeper into the history of his family's experience in China as well as the new world. We'll never know most of the story. But we do get to share his growing-up years and learn about the forces that shaped his world.



2. In anticipation of the lunar new year, I picked up this book. The author had me under his spell by the second page. In his memoir of growing up in the 1940's, as the son of Chinese immigrants in Vancouver's Chinatown, the reader learns that Mr. Choy, while on a promotional book tour in 1995, received a call from a woman who says that she just saw his mother. But his Toisanese mother died nearly two decades earlier, he tells the mysterious caller. No, the caller replies, she means his `real mother.' And so the memoir and the mystery begin. In descriptive language that is hypnotic and nearly as haunting as a ghost filled home his family lived in, an extremely detailed portrait of his life as a young boy is drawn. In Part 1, his pre-school years are filled with family, Chinglish, mah-jong, lots of single "uncles" to take him for ice cream, nightly Chinese operas (his mother's version are a permanent barrier against pessimism), cowboy films, and his assertively willful tantrums. In Part 2, the author writes of his school years, English and Chinese lessons, stubbornness, truancy, confusion, helplessness, his pet dog, the humiliations his father endured at work, and the other concerns of children. In the last third of the book, Mr. Choy returns as an adult to the mystery of his and explores the hidden secrets of his family. Upon close reading, one learns about the stress of living as an Asian in North America during the War, a time when burials were only allowed in Asian-only cemeteries, when sick Asians were housed in the basement of the hospital, when Asians were offered payments to return to Asia if they promised never to return, and when men were not allowed to bring their families or wives over to the Gold Mountain from across the Pacific. On even closer reading, one can discern how different Chinese identities were crafted in North America by his grandfather, his parents, and finally himself in an in-between'ness third generation.