by Adeline Yen Mah
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A Thousand Pieces of Gold: Growing Up Through China's Proverbs by Adeline Yen Mah |
by Adeline Yen Mah
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by Adeline Yen Mah
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by Adeline Yen Mah
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Adeline Yen Mah scored a big hit with her autobiography Falling Leaves. Now she follows up by filling in some of the details of Chinese thought and culture that have been important in her life. Commenting on the language, philosophies, customs, and food of China, Mah fleshes out the Chinese mind. Short essays are arranged around chapter themes and incorporate episodes from Mah's life as well as colorful sayings and historical information. She is at her best when speaking from personal experience and expertise, as in her piece on Chinese food and nutrition. But she can also come off as didactic, and she tends to wander aimlessly from topic to topic. The reader often feels that in order to justify the value of Chinese culture to herself and others she has tried to pack in every interesting thing she knows, or has read, about Chinese civilization, but without a guiding narrative. For these tidbits, the wading is often worth it, though much of her historical information can be found in the same books where she found them. One wishes she had the style of a Jonathan Spence or the humor of a Lin Yutang to make the reading about such a fascinating culture an uncommon pleasure. --Brian Bruya
From Library Journal
This brief but compelling book is basically a primer on Chinese culture. In 11 chapters, Mah (Falling Leaves: The True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter) furnishes explanations of Confucius and Confucianism, Buddhism, the I Ching, Chinese herbs and medicines, feng shui, yin-yang, and the Chinese language, among other topics. Intertwined with these lessons are her own experiences and reflections. During an unhappy childhood with a cruel stepmother in Shanghai and Tianjin, she learned much from her grandfather and aunt, both of whom sustained her through many trials. Later, as a doctor in England and America, Mah learned more from other doctors, professors, and an encounter with Philip Larkin, the noted British poet. Mah is an articulate and fluent writer, and though she gives the Chinese characters for many of the things she discusses, the material is basic enough that the reader does not need to know the Chinese. Recommended for large public libraries.
-DKitty Chen Dean, Nassau Community Coll., Garden City, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
-DKitty Chen Dean, Nassau Community Coll., Garden City, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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43% buy the item featured on this page: Watching the Tree: A Chinese Daughter Reflects on Happiness, Tradition and Spritual Wisdom |
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