Like most of Tan's books, this novel focuses on mother-daughter relationships extending over several generations. It is a tale of discovering the truth about our past and ourselves. Ruth's mother LuLing is suffering with the early stages of Alzheimer's and carefully writes down the "Things I Know Are True" and the "Things I Must Not Forget" - leaving them for her daughter to find. These are the vehicles through which Ruth discovers the secrets and truths hidden in her mother's past. This is a wonderful book - a little slow in the beginning but fantastic overall.

Definitely read the "Conversation with Amy Tan" in which her friend Molly Giles interviews her (at the end of the novel). This makes the book much more personal and even more wonderful.