One of the most fascinating books I have ever read. Not only do I feel I got an honest history of communist China, its story plays out like a novel - I never wanted to put it down. Chang excels at pulling it together for you - showing you the differences between her Grandmother's life, her mother's life and her own, moving chronologically in a manner that makes such good sense. I completely followed it despite my absolute dearth of knowledge on the subject of China. I wept with her and felt an almost physical pain at the loss of such an ancient culture during the Maoist regime. I live in such an "easy" world, with freedoms I don't even consider being thankful for. Reading her family's story makes me look with a different perspective at my own life and the community and culture in which I was raised. I want to tell everyone about it.”