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.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Broadway Books
Date Published: 1999
ISBN-13:9780767903578ISBN:0767903579
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Clean, tight copy. Slight shelfwear. No markings. Binding is uncreased. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 304 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Broadway Books
Date Published: 1999
ISBN-13:9780767903578ISBN:0767903579
Description: Fine. No dust jacket as issued. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 304 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Please remember: This item is in used condition. Very Good: Copy has been read, but remains in very good condition. Pages are intact and are not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Broadway
Date Published: 1999
ISBN-13:9780767903578ISBN:0767903579
Description: Good. A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact (including dustcover, if applicable). The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include "from the library of" labels. Return Policy Any defects, damages, or material differences with your item, must be reported to us within 7 days of receipt of the item or 30 days from date of shipment. The returned merchandise must be ... read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc
Date Published: 1998
ISBN-13:9780471247425ISBN:0471247421
Description: A wonderful copy with some minor edgewear to the cover. Dust Jacket has some edgewear present. -, Hard Cover, Very Good / Very Good. read more
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. good to very good paperback-good cover & clean text-pages 12-16 slightly wrinkled from water damage. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 304 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. read more
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
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
Description: Very good. Book has appearance of light use with no easily noticeable wear. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
"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."
"This memoir called Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah is a sad and depressing book about an unwanted child. Adeline takes you into her shoes when she was a little girl and softens the hardest parts of your heart with the tradegies. Sometimes things may not seem to be as good as they seem. As you read along you can witness the war between Adeline and life. Adeline Yen Mah tells her experiences growing up as the last born child of her father's first marriage. She is later mistreated by her stepmother and stepsiblings. She becomes unwanted as time goes by. This is a sad story about her struggle to make her way through life. She goes from dealing to her fathers death to never being able to get anything from his will. Or she was told. I liked this book because it made me sad to know how children in this world can be misstreated. Most kids dont really get the luxury of having a family in their life. Once you think things cant get any worser, lighting strikes again. I also connect to this book because when I was told my father past away i felt as if his wife mistreated me likewise to Adeline and his fathers wife. I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever been left out or seen lower than what they are. This book can show how life really is to some kids that dont get what others do and to kids who lost mostly all they had. If you read, " A Child Called 'It' " by David Pelzer you would love this book. Both of these books show you two diffrent lifestyles on dealing with being misstreated, with one similarity. Being Unwanted."
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