This book is one of the books that is mentioned in Warriors: I...

This book is one of the books that is mentioned in Warriors: I Bring the Fire Part V. It is an excellent biography/autobiography of the author, her mother and her grandmother. It is a great introduction to Chinese modern history. It’s been a while since I read this book, but there are things that stand out about each of the women’s lives. The thoughts on women craving jewelry: it’s not for bling, it’s because jewelry is something they can sell when the chips are down and they are no longer beautiful. The communist parties ridiculous notions of equality: make the pregnant women march too (although in the context of the story it probably saved Jung’s mother’s life, if her husband had shown favoritism to her it could have cost htem down the line). And then there is the author’s own first interactions with Westerners. The man she meets takes at face value things he reads in the Chinese press. Jung was at once dismissive and impressed—she realized he took it at face value because he took it for granted the press was truthful.

Anyway, a wonderful story of women persevering, and even flourishing, despite all odds. 

Highly recommended. Get it on Amazon >