A Memoir

Falling Leaves
by Adeline Yen Mah

"The Memoir of an Unwanted
Chinese Daugher"

I absolutely loved this book. I like memoirs and this fit the bill. I could hardly put it down. It is the story of a child born in 1937 in China. She was the youngest child of an affluent Chinese family. She suffered appalling emotional abuse from her Eurasian stepmother. She was determined to survive and struggled for independence from her family. She moved to Hong Kong, and then to England and finally to the U.S. where she became a physician and a writer. Most of the book takes place during the "Cultural Revolution" in China (Communist take-over). It was fascinating to find out how this all took place and how the people lived at that time. It is especially significant because of what's going on in China now because of the Olympics. After reading this book you'll appreciate your life in America so much more, and any problems you might have in your family pale in comparison to the Yen family. I loved this book almost as much as "Stolen Lives" and "Memoirs of a Geisha".

Caution: Do Not Read

I just finished this book today and I honestly have not read a more depressing book in my life. Every page is filled with pain, dissappointment, hope, and anger. Sure, you learn about meth and what a horrible addiction it is but it's not worth reading the whole thing. I did get a couple pages highlighted of information to be able to show to Gracie one day, but that is it.

The author used so many unknown words, I had to look them each up in the dictionary as I read along. No one should have to read a book that way. The story ends openly with an epilogue. It's only an overly dramatic and extended version of what he feels he's learned and that it's basically nothing. Living through something hard that doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Everyone already knows that. It doesn't do anyone any good to read the anguish in every page of this book.

Bottom line: Meth is currently the most dangerous and most addictive drug out there and no matter how many rehab attemps and years of sobriety someone has, relapse is always, always possible.

Enough said. Don't read the book.

LOOOONG list

I now have a very long list of books. I came home with a bag of about 10 books and 20 magazines from the library last week, and haven't even had a chance to read any! I am trying to start with "My Forbidden Face." I just keep falling asleep out of sheer exhaustion. I guess that's what 3 kids does to you!