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evojavey's review against another edition
5.0
WOW. What an amazing book. The writing is engrossing from page one. At no point in reading this was I bored or bogged down by details. It is a beautiful marriage of history and generational storytelling.
The content is weighty and often heartbreaking, but the overwhelming theme of the book is of human perseverance and familial love. China is a country that has been so shielded from the world, and in turn I have a very naive and ignorant understanding of the country.
Unbelievably grateful for the honesty and intention that this story was written. I am curious to read accounts of Communist China, especially the cultural Revolution and Great Leap Forward, from the perspective of a less privileged narrator. Given how brutal Jung’s life was despite the privilege of her family makes me sadly curious about the horrors that the peasant population had to endure under Mao’s reign.
This was a wonderful intro to an incredibly long and complex history of China. I am eager to learn more.
Highly highly recommend this book.
Content warning: murder, torture, state-sanctioned violence, death
The content is weighty and often heartbreaking, but the overwhelming theme of the book is of human perseverance and familial love. China is a country that has been so shielded from the world, and in turn I have a very naive and ignorant understanding of the country.
Unbelievably grateful for the honesty and intention that this story was written. I am curious to read accounts of Communist China, especially the cultural Revolution and Great Leap Forward, from the perspective of a less privileged narrator. Given how brutal Jung’s life was despite the privilege of her family makes me sadly curious about the horrors that the peasant population had to endure under Mao’s reign.
This was a wonderful intro to an incredibly long and complex history of China. I am eager to learn more.
Highly highly recommend this book.
Content warning: murder, torture, state-sanctioned violence, death
rem5am's review against another edition
4.0
شهادة تاريخية، ترويها الحفيدة، حكاية من منظور الجيل الثالث الذي نشأ في دعاية الخوف من عدو مجهول، وعبودية لإله صنعه السابقين. وهم كبير، من ادعاءات أننا الأفضل وسننقذ العالم.
الدوافع والابتعاد عنها والفضوى والسلطة ومحاولات النجاة بكسرة خبز (أرز) في التاريخ هي نفسها في كل مكان، تختلف المسميات فقط.
"أمضيت طفولتي أركض نحو المستقبل، أتعجل البلوغ، وأحلم دائما بما سأفعله حين أكبر. ومنذ تعلمي القراءة والكتابة، كنتُ أفضل الكتب التي تحوي كميات من الكلمات، على الكتب المصورة."
"كانت جدتي تربط شعرها في كعكة أنيقة بمؤخرة رأسها، ولكنها كانت تزينه بالأزهار، أحيانا زهرتين من المنغولية بلون العاج، وأحيانا أخرى، ياسمينة (كيب) بيضاء، تضمنها ورقتان خضراوان غامقتان، زينة في شعرها اللماع. لم تستخدم قط شامبو من المتاجر. كانت تعتقد أن سيجعل شعرها شاحبا وجافاً، ولكنها كانت تغلي ثمر خرنوب العسل الصيني، وتستخدم السائل منه. وكانت تدعك الثمرة لإنتاج رغوة عطرة، وتترك أمشاطها الخشبية في عصير بذوى الكريب فروت، بحيث ينساب المشط بنعومة في شعرها، ويمنحه شذاً خفيفاً. وكانت تضيف لمسة أخيرة بوضع قليل من ماء زهور الأوزمنتوس، تصنعه بنفسها."
"حين يكون الناس سعداء، فإنهم يصبحون طيبين."
الدوافع والابتعاد عنها والفضوى والسلطة ومحاولات النجاة بكسرة خبز (أرز) في التاريخ هي نفسها في كل مكان، تختلف المسميات فقط.
"أمضيت طفولتي أركض نحو المستقبل، أتعجل البلوغ، وأحلم دائما بما سأفعله حين أكبر. ومنذ تعلمي القراءة والكتابة، كنتُ أفضل الكتب التي تحوي كميات من الكلمات، على الكتب المصورة."
"كانت جدتي تربط شعرها في كعكة أنيقة بمؤخرة رأسها، ولكنها كانت تزينه بالأزهار، أحيانا زهرتين من المنغولية بلون العاج، وأحيانا أخرى، ياسمينة (كيب) بيضاء، تضمنها ورقتان خضراوان غامقتان، زينة في شعرها اللماع. لم تستخدم قط شامبو من المتاجر. كانت تعتقد أن سيجعل شعرها شاحبا وجافاً، ولكنها كانت تغلي ثمر خرنوب العسل الصيني، وتستخدم السائل منه. وكانت تدعك الثمرة لإنتاج رغوة عطرة، وتترك أمشاطها الخشبية في عصير بذوى الكريب فروت، بحيث ينساب المشط بنعومة في شعرها، ويمنحه شذاً خفيفاً. وكانت تضيف لمسة أخيرة بوضع قليل من ماء زهور الأوزمنتوس، تصنعه بنفسها."
"حين يكون الناس سعداء، فإنهم يصبحون طيبين."
cam20's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
hpatnaik's review against another edition
5.0
I read this a long time ago and I think it may be time for a re-read.
I remember it being an absolutely beautiful and heart-breaking book that gives an amazing overview of Chinese history, politics, and culture.
It is definitely a must read :)
I remember it being an absolutely beautiful and heart-breaking book that gives an amazing overview of Chinese history, politics, and culture.
It is definitely a must read :)
luvfromjah's review against another edition
5.0
"If This Is Paradise, What Then Is Hell?“
“The past was no longer too painful to recall because I had found love and fulfillment and therefore tranquillity.”
“The past was no longer too painful to recall because I had found love and fulfillment and therefore tranquillity.”
loeffle's review against another edition
5.0
Eine grandiose Familiensaga, die sehr viel über die chinesische Geschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts vermittelt. Die Autorin schafft es Privates und Gesellschaftliches in perfekter Form zu verknüpfen.
Besonders die von Mao initiierten Verbrechen der Kulturrevolution sind im Westen wenig bekannt (und werden im heutigen China ignoriert). Im Endeffekt war Mao ein Monster wie Pol Pot, Hitler oder Stalin.
Besonders die von Mao initiierten Verbrechen der Kulturrevolution sind im Westen wenig bekannt (und werden im heutigen China ignoriert). Im Endeffekt war Mao ein Monster wie Pol Pot, Hitler oder Stalin.
randomcarpediem's review against another edition
4.0
Having traveled to China this past spring, this book obviously had an appeal to me from the beginning. The ironic think is that I bought this book at the Hong Kong airport during a different trip to Singapore. "Wild Swans" is banned in China, so I think it is significant that I bought it in Hong Kong...just gives it more excitement.
I learned a great deal about China and its history and its people and its culture. This book is well put together and thought out in detail. The book starts in 1909 and ends in 1976 when Chairman Mao died.
The book covers the lives of three generations of females and their time in the formation of present day China. It is an incredible story of power, poverty, torture, sorrow, pain, family, betrayal and so many more emotions and mind expanding or mind imploding ideas.
This story teaches what happens to a people who do not have the power of literacy behind them and how important a written language and books are to the preservation of any civilization. A book that teaches a person to be educated and involved in society and to value family.
China is huge and this book has opened my eyes to its people and its possibilities.
I learned a great deal about China and its history and its people and its culture. This book is well put together and thought out in detail. The book starts in 1909 and ends in 1976 when Chairman Mao died.
The book covers the lives of three generations of females and their time in the formation of present day China. It is an incredible story of power, poverty, torture, sorrow, pain, family, betrayal and so many more emotions and mind expanding or mind imploding ideas.
This story teaches what happens to a people who do not have the power of literacy behind them and how important a written language and books are to the preservation of any civilization. A book that teaches a person to be educated and involved in society and to value family.
China is huge and this book has opened my eyes to its people and its possibilities.