Do not say we have nothing

[Ardene]

This book was fabulous!

Music, silence, listening, family, mathematics, hidden communication, and China. All in one book.

The book covers the panorama of China's history from the 1940s-1990s, but by focusing on one family and several of the characters in each generation it gives not factual detail, but a perspective on the emotional and psychological fabric of individuals, the personal and professional losses they suffer, and the long-term effects on the people of China.

I hope to do a re-read focusing on some of the themes and motifs that interest me the most.

A more linear description is that this is a book about the lives of three generations of a Chinese family. Wen the Dreamer, Big Mother Knife, Swirl, and Ba Lute survive the Japanese occupation & the Communist revolution. Their descendants, particularly Sparrow and Zhuli and another character, Jiang Kai, are young adults during the cultural revolution (1966-1976), and the third generation are Li-Ling (Marie) in Canada and Ai-Ming studying for college entrance exams in Beijing in 1989 when the protests at Tiananmen Square occur.

It took me most of the month to read because it is a book to savor.

[Booknblues]

I loved this book as well. I think it made my top 10 the year I read it.

[Anita]

Oh I just finished this recently and totally agree with your review. Such a rich book with incredible depth . . .definitely one that could stand up to a re-read!

[Susie]

Another one that I need to return to. I started reading it when my life was very stressful and busy and I didn’t have the time it needed.

[Idit]

Sounds tempting. Thanks!

[Tracy]

This is such a good book!

[Amy]

I appreciated it, but cane in under the rave, as per my style these days.