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.