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The Flower Drum Song
 
 
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The Flower Drum Song (Paperback)

~ (Author), (Introduction)
Key Phrases: dumb old turtle, couplet scrolls, ginseng soup, Wang Ta, May Li, Madam Tang (more...)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
Price: $15.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
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  Hardcover, May 31, 1957 -- -- $8.99
  Paperback, April 30, 2003 $12.95 $7.47 $3.91
  Paperback, August 27, 2002 $15.00 $3.94 $0.82
  Mass Market Paperback, December 31, 1965 -- -- $1.25
  Unknown Binding, December 31, 1958 -- -- $75.00

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  • This item: The Flower Drum Song by C. Y. Lee

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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.


Product Description

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.
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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 5.1 x 0.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #803,375 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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More About the Authors

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
David Henry Hwang
David Henry Hwang
C. Y. Lee
C. Y. Lee

Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
dumb old turtle, couplet scrolls, ginseng soup, kan pei, pockmarked woman, foreign suit, deaf servant, gold clock, grass style, iron trunk, herb doctor, middle hall, beggar maid
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Wang Ta, May Li, Madam Tang, Wang Chi-yang, Liu Ma, Liu Lung, Old Master Wang, Wang San, Miss Tung, Miss Chao, Grant Avenue, San Francisco, Madam Wu, General White, Helen Chao, Year of the Horse, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Miss Shaw, Jackson Street, Linda Tung, Hunan Province, Mainland China, Sacramento Street, Stockton Street
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This book cites 9 books:
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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Flower Drum Song
74% buy the item featured on this page:
The Flower Drum Song 4.5 out of 5 stars (6)
$15.00
Flower Drum Song Edition: Vocal Selections
3% buy
Flower Drum Song Edition: Vocal Selections 5.0 out of 5 stars (1)
$14.95
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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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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
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!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A charming, November 3, 1999
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.
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7 of 8 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
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.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Work of Asian Literature, Too Often Ignored
Having been a long-time fan of the Rogers & Hammerstein musical based on this novel, I was surprised to learn of the book's existence. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Sharon E. Cathcart

3.0 out of 5 stars Episodic, No Clear Ending, Not that Great
I am not Chinese American, and I have never seen the play, television show, or movie, so this review is about the book only. Read more
Published on January 20, 2007 by Judah

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Literature for the Ages
As a child, I saw the film "Flower Drum Song" and fell in love with the film. Though at the time, it was considered a no-no amongst the Chinese community. Read more
Published on January 4, 2003 by Peter Gong

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