American Visa [Paperback]

Wang Ping (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2008

fiction, a young woman, Seaweed, in China & NYC

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this first collection of 11 linked stories, the intimate drama of one traditional Chinese family plays against the larger backdrop of the Cultural Revolution. Wang's determined, intelligent heroine, Seaweed, is the eldest daughter of a naval officer and a schoolteacher living near Shanghai. The family drudge at home, Seaweed's hardships continue in a rural village where she undergoes "re-education" by peasants as a prerequisite for college. Years later, after emigrating to New York, she tries to send for her sisters, to get them American visas. "The Story of Ju" is a gripping, longer tale of how Seaweed's promising student hangs herself rather than submit to a marriage arranged by her abusive stepfather. "Song of Four Seasons" is a generous-spirited story of a mother and daughter revising their opinions of one another after many years. Although these are universal themes of sibling rivalry, mother-daughter conflict and love, the dilemma of an intelligent woman with limited opportunities, matchmaking, adultery, bodily shame, they are also distinctively Chinese, drawing on Chinese legends, language and customs. Wang, who holds degrees from both Chinese and American universities, writes simply in a conversational English that is remarkably effective whether she is writing about life in China or in New York.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA?This collection of vignettes hangs together through the first-person narration of Seaweed, one of three sisters living in China during Mao's Cultural Revolution. Families suffer from the unexpected decisions handed down by the government, and everyone with "counterrevolutionary" ties is deprived of privilege of the most basic kind. Seaweed had been preparing for college, but instead she is sent to the countryside for retraining as a peasant. Arduous work and wise choices lead her to be chosen for English language instruction, which eventually allows her to emigrate to New York City. There she finds more arduous work and loneliness. Her family, however, insists on staying in China, and Seaweed makes sacrifices to send them money. The incidents described are sometimes gloomy, but always realistic and historically accurate. Seaweed, the sister with the least romantic name, becomes a character whom YA readers can easily admire and respect.?Ginny Ryder, Lee High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: Coffee House Press (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156689025X
• ISBN-13: 978-1566890250
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,441,612 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, January 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: American Visa (Paperback)

The stories in this book let readers understand more about China, especially the horrible experiences that the Chinese had suffered during the Cultural Revolution. It's wonderful to see Chinese-American writers publishing books in English in the United States.

1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars i like it, November 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: American Visa (Paperback)

i like this book very much . and i read it agai