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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Lesson in the Triumph of the Individual,
By Steven Lee "A Reader from SF" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Life and Death in Shanghai (Hardcover)
This is a difficult story to read, especially if one has lived through the Cultural Revolution. The Revolution is a trauma to the collective conscience of the Chinese people. It is a psychological scar that will take much therapy to erase. Ms. Cheng's autobiography works as therapy. It works because it is brutally honest. More than 10 years after its publication, this reader has finally worked up the courage to read it. Ms. Cheng bluntly suggests that a system, that makes the ordinary people living under it liars, cheats, spies, and petty thieves, has no redeeming value. One senses that Ms. Cheng was the lone voice of sanity and reason in a world so insane that it made her seem mad. One marvels at her stubborn sense of dignity and integrity, and gets the hope that the individual could triumph over system. To this reader, Ms. Cheng is an inspiration and a winner in the game of life for like few, who went through the Cultural Revolution, she is able to look herself in the mirror and know that she triumphed as a human being.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unforgettable memoir...,
By "iiipeaches" (Mr. Fennell's Classroom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Life and Death in Shanghai (Hardcover)
Nien Cheng's Life and Death in Shanghai is a very well written and inspiring autobiography. The story is based on her experiences and obstacles that she faced during the Cultural Revolution in Communist China. Cheng is a very courageous and intelligent woman who has survived many terrible situations. The distinction between her life before and after the Cultural Revolution clearly reveals the corruption and curelty of Communist China during that time. Cheng tells every detail, which captures the reader's heart and mind. Although her writing is not very emotional or passionate, her unique and amazing way of writing leaves the reader with emotions and sympathy. The book is not only a source of inspiration,but also a source of very precise historical information. The purpose of the book was for Cheng to reveal the victimization of the upper class of China. Because this kind of memoir is rare, it makes the book even more unique and interesting to read. Throughout the memoir, Cheng faces obstacles that seem impossible to overcome, but she has remarkable willpower and faith that got her through brutal times. Her confidence and willpower truly stirs the reader. Although Cheng faced horrible conditions in Communist China, she does not feel hatred for the country. This illustrates her compassionate and forgiving personality and good nature. This autobiography truly inspires and captivates the reader.
5.0 out of 5 stars
When the Tiger of the Cultural Revolution Shook China to its Foundations,
This review is from: Life and Death in Shanghai (Hardcover)
"Life and Death in Shanghai" was written by a woman who looks as delicate as a sparrow, has a voice like a distant, tinkling bell, and moves with the light grace of a ballerina. Everything about her is cultured, and spending time with her reminds you of how much the Chinese value "li," politeness. Yet the masters of torture in the Red Guard imprisoned this widow and her teenaged daughter, Mei Peng, for seven years, as Nien was considered "tao feng," the enemy. Why? Because she came from a Mandarin family. When Chairman Mao instigated the Cultural Revolution, he not only bored people to death quoting his quotations, he massacred everyone he didn't consider peasants. Jade carvers, for example, had their hands cut off, as they worked for the upper classes. Nien was in solitary confinement except for a tiny spider. However, one day the spider died, and, in a deeply touching scene, she mourned her only companion. One idea sustained her through an ordeal that killed most or drove them insane: her daughter, Mei Peng. Nien had to stay alive for the day she and Mei Peng would be free again. One day Nien was released, but I won't continue. All I will say is this story is one of the world's great classics, beautifully written in prose as clear as her bell-like voice. The vastness of her intelligence comes through in every sentence, and the huge breadth of her humanity. All people should read this book. - Ann Seymour, author of "I've Always Loved You," a true story of ww2 in the Pacific
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