The Flower Drum Song [Paperback]

C. Y. Lee (Author), David Henry Hwang (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 27, 2002

Originally published in 1957, The Flower Drum Song was a groundbreaking work of popular literature. An immediate bestseller, it inspired the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. This charming, bittersweet tale of romance and the powerful bonds of family tells the story of Wang Ta, who wants what every young American man wants: a great career and a woman to love. Living in San Francisco's Chinatown-with his widowed father, Old Master Wang, who misses the old way of life in China, and his younger brother, who just wants to be a normal American teenager-Wang Ta becomes involved with a series of women as he searches for love and the American dream. Comic, poignant, and sexy, The Flower Drum Song is an astute portrayal of immigrants struggling with assimilation. This edition features a new introduction by David Henry Hwang.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Flower Drum Song comes roaring back as if it were brand new... Always entertaining, frequently affecting... relevant without getting weighed down by political correctness... It is a work of bravery and intelligence and real faith in the possibilities of musical theatre" Time; "Part fashion show, part night-club act, part hymn to Asian American diversity, Flower Drum Song's intelligence may be rooted in Asian American cultural contradictions, but its heart belongs to Broadway" John Lahr, New Yorker" --John Lahr, New Yorker --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

C. Y. Lee arrived in the United States in 1943 and graduated from Yale in 1947 with an MFA in playwriting. He has been a contributor to Radio Free Asia and an editor at Chinese World and Young China.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (August 27, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142002186
• ISBN-13: 978-0142002186
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,232,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Before Amy Tan there was Ching Yang Lee, January 5, 2003

By 

Eunice "book lover" (Lake Mary, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Flower Drum Song (Paperback)

I read this book many years ago and enjoyed so much that I have read everything I could find by Mr. Lee, and since then other Chinese American authors.

It is a shame that for so many years the book was rejected by young Asian Americans as being "too white face" or "Uncle Tom" as it is not so at all. C.Y. Lee was a Chinese immigrant and wrote of the society as he saw it at that time, which is not the way the younger generation, who did not live through the immigrant experience, want to see it. This is not unusual, many well schooled, well fed sucessful Americans do not want to know that their grandparents arrived in steerage with their belongings tied up in kit bag, unable to speak the language, and worked 18 hours a day in menial jobs so that their children could get ahead.

This is a poignant story of Chinese immigrant families in Southern California during the days of the Chinese Exclusion Act, and the difficulty the young American-raised men had in finding a wife. They were not allowed to bring women in from China, and they were not permitted to marry non Asians. Because of the Communist takeover, many Chinese who had dreamed of returning home to China when they retired after working all their lives were unable to do so. The situtation created an artifically stressed society. The book has tragedy and sadness, as well as hope and joy.

My only criticism of the novel, and a mild one at that, is that it frequently reads like a play script, especially in the last chapter, where there is a lot of dialogue, followed by descriptions of the action which read like stage directions. It is possible that the novel was orignally intended to be a play.

Warning, possible spoiler:

The musical version of the book which was also filmed was very loosely based on the novel, in fact one of the major characters was created for the musical. Apparently this has been done again with the new version playing on Broadway. Readers expecting to find a printed version of the musical may be disappointed.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stands the test of time, August 27, 2002

By 

"Weighting" no more! (Los Angels, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Flower Drum Song (Paperback)

Originally published in 1957, this poignant and charming novel tells of a young man's struggle to fit in. Love, family and all the ups and downs that go with them are told with bittersweet humor. Its re-release is a wonderful companion to David Henry Hwang's new theatrical book which revives the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical on Broadway this year. Hurrah!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A charming, November 3, 1999

By 

Mei-Ling - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flower Drum Song (Hardcover)

My mother has always told me of a beautiful Rogers & Hammerstein musical called "Flower Drum Song". I bought the CD and found it simply splendid. However, my appreciation of the musical has only been enhanced by reading the novel it was based on by the author CY Lee. The story follows the intrigues of a Chinese emigrant family living in San Fransisco. It is romantic, in parts funny and a pleasure to read. I thoroughly recommend it.