About this title: The author's Westernized Chinese family in Shanghai was wealthy but dysfunctional. In this painful memoir, she writes about the cruelty she endured and her eventual emigration to the U.S., where she became a doctor.
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Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Date published: 02/1998
ISBN-13:9780471247425ISBN:0471247421
Description: Very good in very good dust jacket. Very Good, In very good dust jacket. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 278 p. Contains: Illustrations. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Broadway
Date published: 1999-04-06
ISBN-13:9780767903578ISBN:0767903579
Description: Acceptable Cond, no r-marks. No DJ. PB, Acceptable cond, shelf wear, clean and tight copy. We always ship promptly with delivery confirmation. We are a family owned business w/5.0 STAR Rating. Always professional, Always Customer focused. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Wiley
Date published: 1998
ISBN-13:9780471247425ISBN:0471247421
Description: Good. Dust Cover Missing. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Broadway
Date published: 1999
ISBN-13:9780767903578ISBN:0767903579
Description: Fine. Almost in new condition. Book shows only very slight signs of use. Cover and binding are undamaged and pages show minimal use. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Broadway
Date published: 1999
ISBN-13:9780767903578ISBN:0767903579
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Broadway
Date published: 1999
ISBN-13:9780767903578ISBN:0767903579
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Broadway
Date published: 1999
ISBN-13:9780767903578ISBN:0767903579
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Broadway
Date published: 1999
ISBN-13:9780767903578ISBN:0767903579
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Broadway
Date published: 1999
ISBN-13:9780767903578ISBN:0767903579
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
The step mom that was abusive to all the children was only 18 years old when she became mother of 5 kids. Not that that justifies abuse but she was a child herself.
I felt like Adeline was whining throughout the entire book. I felt she was prideful and if she would just apologize, even if she was not the one in the wrong, life could have been easier for her but she chose not to, and she never saw it this way throughout the book. Just be a peacemaker and quit being so hard headed!
I had about 80 pages left and I stopped reading because I just didn't care what happened to the characters. I rarely if ever do this so it just tells you how I had a hard time identifying, sympathizing, or feeling for any of the characters.
Yes, she was abused by neglect and physical slappings. Her father paid for her to go to the best schools in the world...it just felt like woe me book and look how great I am now. I don't know...."
"This is a real-life Cinderella story. In fact, the author apparently wrote a children's version of her memoir titled Chinese Cinderella. Having read this on the heels of Shanghai Girls, it was interesting to compare the autobiographical perspective with the fictional perspective of many of the same historical events, places, culture and customs.
In this book, the author, born in Shanghai in the 1930s, recounts her life growing up with an evil stepmother and wanting more than anything to be loved and cherished by her parents. I have a thing for memoirs recounting awful childhoods, and I've read far worse than this, but even so, my heart went out to this girl/woman, and I identified with so much of her struggles. Reading about her stepmother, who is really just a very narcissistic, self-centered, cold person, I am left with the conclusion that people like this suffer from some form of mental illness. There is just no other explanation. Although the author manages to build a happy and successful life for herself eventually, it is maddening to read how even well into adulthood, she couldn't seem to escape from the emotional bondage of her parents until they were both dead.
It's a very good book and one I recommend, especially if you like memoirs, Cinderella stories, and/or enjoyed Shanghai Girls!"
"This book is also by Adleline Yen Mah. It is not the same story as Chinese Cinderella, but it is alot like it. It tells the story of an unwanted Chinese daughter and how she lived her life. Yes, I know, it seems like Chinese Cinderella, but it is in more detail. It was also written after Chinese Cinderella and includes more of Adeline's life. This book made me realize how good I have it, and that there are kids out there who are treated very badly when we think that not being able to go to the mall or the movies is bad enough. But when you can't even have a single friend over at your house at all, and school is your only safe place; not going to the mall seems like heaven. Falling Leaves goes much more into detail with Adeline's life and tell about her father's death. Adeline had never wished harm on anyone in her family and she is, surprisingly, sad that her father is dead. I really liked this book and it made me see how bad things really could be."
"This book is a look at a culture and a country. It was also a look at a family and relationships that just didn't work for any of the children but especially for one young girl, Adeline Yen Mah. Her respect for and commitment to be part of a family offered an insight into the culture. Her relationships with her siblings as a young girl and later as a successful women added a dimension to the cruelty she suffered from both of her parents.
This Chinese proverb described her life. "When leaves fall down they return to their roots". It was hard to understand why she would have even wanted to return to her roots. It seemed that the real roots in this family was her strength.
The time setting was in 1949 during the revolution in China. The impact of Mao on society was insightful and interesting. Her father's success under both the old and a new government in Hong Kong suggested that times might get better for the family but it didn't get better for Adeline. She did not find love with either her dad or her stepmother or really with any of her 6 brothers and sisters. An aunt offered her love and encouragement to leave. She did leave and came to the United States and had a happy marriage of her own. It was her insights and her success, seemingly against all odds, that was fascinating.
A well told story about a young girl and a successful woman who, after it all was completed, the only strength found was in her.
This book is one that I didn't want to put down. It left me anxious to find out what was coming."
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