5 comments about China Ghosts: My Daughter's Journey to America, My Passage to Fatherhood.

1. From the first chapter I felt as though I was with The Gammage family on their journey. I myslef am an adoptive parent of a darling little girl from Chongqing and have been home 9 months. It brought back vivid memories and feelings I had gone through on our trip. I was smiling and crying all the way through the book. This is a must read for anyone who is thinking about or who has adopted a child. Jeff Gamage captured the feeling and emotions that all of us experience on our journey to parenthood. Bravo!



2. I am in the process of adopting a child from China and this book touched my every emotion...happiness, sadness, anger, and frustration. Jeff was able to capture all facets of the human emotion and provided poignant points and truth to an adoption journey. I didn't want to put the book down and found myself thinking about even when I wasn't reading it. Jeff's words permanently pressed against my mind, heart and soul. Jeff wrote with such compelling imagery that I felt like I was on the journey with them. This book is remarkable and I would recommended it to anyone.



3. Jeff Gammage speaks of his newly adopted daughters with an honest clarity and loyal devotion. Refreshing and insighful testimony from a father's perspective on falling in love with parenthood. With extensive research and historical facts on Chinese history and culture throughout the book, it is a must read for every new parent waiting to adopt from China! As a mother to 7 children, 5 through foreign adoption, and an adoption website owner, and moderator of a military adoption support group, I found Jeff Gammage's book to be a light of hope and truth for the orphan child.
   Barbara Burke
   www.adoptionfamily.org



4. As a father of an adopted daughter from China, I was looking forward to the author's views on his experience. The book does contain some keen observations, and a few interesting and emotional perspectives, but overall I felt the tone too cynical. Too often his expressions of the incredible love and joy of fatherhood were overshadowed by his pessimistic views on Chinese culture and government, his critical assessment of an individual's motives, and his personal insecurities. Perhaps his newspaper journalism background contributes to this distrustful viewpoint, but it detracts from enjoyment of the book.
   As the author himself writes, his wife and daughter look to the bright sunny days of tomorrow, whereas he has a tendency to dwell on the dark days of the past. That accurately sums up the tone of the book as well.



5. ­Gammage's vast experience as a newspaper reporter comes through with details facts along with the benefits of his feelings. However, he often seems to be using the writing as a therapy session to deal with some of his issues with adoption (his ghosts), China the USA, and religion. Because of this, the books seemed disjointed; a difficult style of story-telling to follow.

No comments about Heavenly Man, The: The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun.

No comments about Sui Sin Far / Edith Maude Eaton: A LITERARY BIOGRAPHY (Asian American Experience).

5 comments about Little Green: Growing Up During the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

1. Little Green is a wondrous work of art, like an ancient Chinese painting brought forward into modern time. Where a Western painter might fill up the entire canvas with paint, traditional Chinese painters used sparse brush strokes to vividly illuminate the very essence of their subject. So does Chun Yu use her poetry to bring to life the world of a ten year old child in the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Like the unfolding of a Chinese scroll, to read her verse is to journey across the landscape of that time. We see her family, other children, revolutionaries and "counter-revolutionaries," political struggle meetings, war trainings, cold streams, warm meals, forbidden ancient poetry, and the sound of snowflakes falling past her ear.
   
   Little Green is suitable for all ages, both children and adults. From her readings in the San Francisco bay area, I also learned that this book is the first in a coming trilogy. I give it five stars.



2. It's one thing to read the history of China's Cultural Revolution, quite another to see it through the eyes of a little girl who lived through it. In "Little Green," Chun Yu, born the year the Cultural Revolution began (1966), chronicles the first ten years of her life, from the revolution's inception to its ending with Mao's death.
   
   What's startling about "Little Green" - the title comes from Yu's childhood nickname - is not just the vivid clarity of her memories but the beauty of her words. Written in verse, the book has the crystalline luminosity of Peter Matthiessen's prose and David Whyte's poetry. On one page Yu will speak eloquently of the gift of a blue silk ribbon; on another she'll share her pain - without being overly sentimental - at having her family's garden torn out after the state decided that private gardens were capitalistic.
   
   "After a whole spring and early summer
   of planting and watering,
   the tomatoes were just starting to ripen under the green leaves.
   Some melon flowers were still blooming on the fence.
   The biggest melons had grown to the size of my little fists.
   The sunflowers along the roadside
   were only a couple of feet tall,
   with tender yellow flowers following the sun around.
   Nainai [Grandma] sighed.
   'It hurts the conscience to destroy these crops.
   What crime did the plants commit?' "
   
   In this slender volume, Yu shows how her family is affected by the Cultural Revolution. Her mother, a teacher, becomes a target of the anti-intellectual movement; her father is sent for several years to a reeducation camp. In "We Saw Baba Only Twice a Year," Yu writes:
   
   "Baba lived in May Seventh Cadre School,
   where he was being reeducated.
   The cadre school could only be reached by boat,
   slowly moved by a long bamboo stick.
   It took a whole day each way.
   We saw Baba only twice a year,
   in the summertime
   and Chinese New Year.
   After not seeing him for a long time,
   it felt so strange to call him 'Baba' again."
   
   The cover quote, from Maxine Hong Kingston, calls "Little Green" a "miracle" which initially sounded a bit over the top. But as I read the book and learned Yu's story, I didn't find this to be an exaggeration. For someone who learned English as an adult and spent much of her time in this country studying science, "Little Green," written with elegant simplicity in English, truly is miraculous.
   
   I found "Little Green" so enjoyable that I began rationing it, reading just a few pages a night, to make it last. Thankfully, this is the first book of a trilogy, and Yu says she's already finished the second volume. I'll eagerly await its publication. Until then, I'll return often to Little Green's clear, bright lines.



3. This book powerfully tells what life was truly like under Mao and his cohort. Chun Yu brings a new voice with an amazing ability to enable the reader to imagine life inside China during the Cultural Revolution.
   
   This is a fresh and new voice to the history of that era.
   
   PS I am not a kid although submitting a review as a child is easier as there is no password stuff to climb through.



4. Chun Yu's "Little Green" is a great corrective to much of the highly effective propaganda that emanated from China during Mao Tse-Dong's Cultural Revolution. Chun Yu has achieved this with a unique voice and with a unique literary form that is unusually poetic and that is not in itself a propaganda piece.
   
   I believe that "Little Green" should be classified as suitable for all ages. While children will undoubtedly enjoy and learn from "Little Green," I think it ought more properly to be included with literature also intended for adults.



5. It is great to have a look into Mao's China from the eyes of a child. I agree with many of the good things said, and just want to say this is a great book. Lyric, and a child's view, and great insight.

2 comments about Living for Change: An Autobiography.

1. For anyone who has ever wanted to work for social change, this life story by a wise and vital woman is a guidebook. As the book's cover tells us, "Grace Lee Boggs is a first-generation Chinese American who has been a speaker, writer, and movement activist in the African- American community for fifty-five years." After earning her Ph.D. in philosophy at Bryn Mawr in June of 1940, Grace wanted to become an activist. She moved to Chicago in the fall of 1940 and began working with the South Side Tenants Organization--a group that had been set up by the Workers Party.
   

   When distinguished "labor leader A. Phillip Randolph issued a call for blacks all over the country to march on Washington to demand jobs in the defense plants," more and more people began attending the Workers Party discussions in Chicago's Washington Park. Grace had been invited to participate in those discussions. She said, "The more I went out in the community and met people, the more inadequate I was beginning to feel." When Randolph's leadership of the March on Washington movement was successful and President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802, Grace realized "the power that the black community has within itself to change this country when it begins to move. As a result, I decided that what I wanted to do with the rest of my life was to become a movement activist in the black community." To Grace, "Joining the Workers Party seemed a good way to start," and that's what she did, in order to get the political education she felt she needed.
   

   In the 1950s, Grace moved to Detroit where she worked on the Socialist Workers Party newsletter and met Jimmy Boggs, "A rank-and-file black Chrysler-Jefferson worker and community activist." Grace liked living in Detroit because it "felt like a 'Movement' city where radical history had been made and could be made again." She also liked working with Jimmy. Having worked closely with C. L. R. James, the intellectually powerful Socialist philosopher, Grace felt that her life had been "exciting but also extremely intellectual." She reasoned that she "needed to return to the concrete." Grace and Jimmy married in 1953 and began a life together that was rooted in the concrete reality of a major 20th-century industrialized city that had been abandoned by the large corporations that built it and by much of its white population.
   

   As Ossie Davis says in his foreword to Grace's book, "Through these pages walk causes, gatherings, confrontations, movements, and the men and women who made them: workers and students and committees of the People...." Studs Terkel has called Grace's book "More than a deeply moving memoir...." He said, "...this is a book of revelation."
   

   It is just that, for with passion and reason, Grace invites us to join her and Jimmy. She shows how they made "Detroit Summer" and "Gardening Angels" part of a new urban economic system, and she shows us how to interact multiculturally and multi-generationally. She doesn't merely talk about it--she does it and reports on its results. Grace Boggs educates us in her book and helps us see the possibilities of what we can do in our own cities.
   




2. I was impressed to find this book at my public library. It is an important remembrance of some of the movements that were occurring during the 1940's through the 1990's. Lots of acronyms! Some of the history of the splits in the Party got tedious.

   It was interesting to read about some of the options people had besides the Panthers, to hear the view of taking responsibilty, not only blaming the man for the situation. And to reaffirm the idea that a great shift in society needs to occur before we can have true equality.

   NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE!

5 comments about Our History Is Still Being Written: The Story of Three Chinese-Cuban Generals in the Cuban Revolution.

1. Full of unexpected and detailed stories about Cuba in the world today...Yugoslavia could have withstood NATO bombings in the 1990s if army officers had used underground tunnels and the system of reserves put in place during World War II to allow the population to sustain itself, one of the Chinese-Cuban generals interviewed in this book says. He explains that Cuba's defense relies on such a system of reserves (not only food but also pencils and paper to keep schools open!): to give the rest of the world time to come to Cuba's aid and organize solidarity in the event of a military attack. So he spearheaded a wildly successful program in Cuba to develop urban agriculture and increase domestic food production. A part of this effort: convincing Cubans to eat veggies...the generals went to Angola to help fight the South African invasion in the 80s, one lost a leg there; one went to Venezuela on the recommendation of the UN to help them develop a food production program like the Cubans'...they all talk about what it was like growing up Chinese under the Batista dictatorship...Who would have guessed that the number of Chinese who moved to Cuba in the mid1800s was roughly the same as the number who moved to the US? An easy read, and you just never know what the next chapter will talk about.



2. The three Cuban generals interviewed for this book are all of Chinese descent and shed interesting light on the Chinese-Cuban community (proportionately the largest in the Americas). But the heart of this book is the tremendous opportunity the Cuban Revolution has given these men to advance the cause of human solidarity. They have a down-to-earth approach and their reflections include striking examples as well as razor-sharp observations. Although all three are past retirement age, they all play leading roles in the revolution today, which they discuss in these interviews. This is ongoing history, which they are still living. In this book you get an inside look at the tremendous role Cuba played in Angola as well as a picture of the type of critical humanitarian solidarity Cuba is able to extend to Venezuela today. They show why a society based on international solidarity can successfully challenge the fangs-bared, dog-eat-dog example of the U.S. These interviews cover a variety of topics, such as racism, underdevelopment, the environment, agriculture, military strategy, and the role of youth. The photographs in this beautiful book are an education in themselves. While amazon may list this book as not available from time to time, it is always available from the Pathfinder z store listed under "new and used" at the top of this page.



3. If you are at all serious about fundamental social change in this century, READ THIS BOOK:
   
   Although this book takes the form of interviews with three Cuban generals of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Chinese origins-- yes there are Chinese in Cuba, propotionately the immigration there was many times greater than to the U.S.; three are yes, generals in the armed forces and leaders of the revolution;no, not everyone of Chinese origins fled the Revolution-- the best part is that you get a wide ranging, broad-scope picture of the Cuban Revolution from the war against the Batista dictatorship through the "Bay of Pigs"/Playa Giron imperial invasion ( attempted, anyway) ; the October 1962 "missile" crisis; Cuba's role in defending Angola fron then-racist-apartheid South Africa, speeding the democratic revolution throughout southern Africa; the economic crisis of the early to mid 1990s; all the way to Cuba's solidarity aid to Venezuela in the teeth of the Empire's threats to both countries, and the current revolution-within-the-revolution known in Cuba as the Battle of Ideas. All this recounted by fighters who PARTICIPATED in these events ! The Cuban Revolution is not "holding out" or merely "surviving"; it is marching foward even if the future is one of struggle amid difficulties...the Cuban people, governemt and Revolution are WINNING. They are beating The Empire every day. Find out why-- read this book !



4. The collaborative work of Armando Choy, Gustavo Chui and Moises Sio Wong, Our History Is Still Being Written: The Story Of Three Chinese-Cuban Generals In The Cuban Revolution is the personal testimony of three individuals of Chinese-Cuban ancestry who became involved in the 1956-58 revolutionary war that ended the America-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, with lasting repercussions for socialist revolution in Latin America. Their stories cover not only the excitement of fifty years ago, but also the years since up to the modern day from problems with food shortages to postmodern wars of ideas. An appendix includes two essays by Fidel Castro and one by Nelson Mandela. Most Of Our History Is Still Being Written is told in interview/narrative format, directly from the mouths of the authors; black-and-white photographs offer glimpses of key turning points in Cuban history. A highly personalized yet nonetheless valuable look at the evolution of modern Cuban history and politics.



5. This is a great book for university students in the field of history or Latin American politics. Usually we are accustomed to reading only the interviews of Dr. Fidel Castro but rarely do we get a glimpse of others who did battle as well during the Cuban Revolution--1956-58--and these are the three Cuban-Chinese generals. This is a great oral history book on Cuban history as well as Cuban-Chinese relations. It is fascinating to read what these--highly intelligent--generals have to say about their Cuban Government and its role on international relations. A must have for any University student studying Latin American history and/or politics.

5 comments about Journey Across the Four Seas: A Chinese Woman's Search for Home.

1. Veronica Li surely has inherited her mother's gift of story telling. It made me feel like I was there in person to witness the events. This was a fascinating story of how one woman struggled and sacrificed for the betterment of her family. You will laugh and cry with Flora. You will learn about the customs and the way of life of Chinese people during World War II.
   
   Do not read this book unless you have several hours to yourself. Once you have opened the book you will not want to put it down.



2. This book was very difficult to put down. It's a fascinating story with many interesting characters that places the reader in a former world that not many know about. The one thing that got to me was the fact that this is plain and simple, a true story. It has the potential to make one more appreciative of life, knowing some of the hardships that Flora confronted as a young woman.



3. At least three strands run through this book. One is of course embedded in the book title: The heroine, Flora's, search for home. A second strand is the Chinese Women's lib: how the attitude of women in China (in this case mostly Hong Kong)changed during Flora's life span from bound feet and near-slavery to full emancipation. But I find the third strand, education, particularly striking. It emerges first in the story of young Flora, an impoverished orphan, who against all odds manages to get herself into primary school, then secondary school, and finally into the prestigious Hong Kong Unversity. The education story re-surfaces during Flora's motherhood when she realizes that her children, particularly her oldest son, will have little or no chance of getting good education unless she transplants the family across the four seas in the USA. And that is what she does.
   This is a powerful story of a determined woman who through sheer grit and determination rises from poverty and leaves her children with a solid educational foundation on which to build their lives. A must-read for people concerned with the importance of educating girls in the Third World.
   
   Sverrir Sigurdsson,
   Vienna,
   Virginia



4. A book about a beautiful, determined, intelligent and well-educated Chinese woman, Flora Li, who overcomes all obstacles to ensure an education and a future for her children. She is focused and committed. She refuses to allow a difficult marriage, the frequent need to relocate her family, and the hardships of war stand in the way of her goals for her children. No matter what problems she encounters on her way, she can and will cope.
   
   Her story is at times inspiring and at times harrowing, but there is humor here and the sometimes unexpected twist which surprises and delights. The language is lively and the story is full of cleverly-translated Chinese idioms that are colorful and exotic. The author has captured her mother's voice perfectly. By the end of the book, the reader knows Flora intimately, like a member of one's own family.
   
   As a western reader, I was also fascinated by this glimpse into an unknown world -- that of women in China and the Far East in the decades before and after World War II. Highly recommended.



5. Whether the reader has a connection to Asia or not, this woman's life story is so fascinating that it's hard to put down. Here's a woman with what seems like everything going against her and yet, using her brains and common sense and compassion, she creates a new world for her family. The author's skill at transforming her mother's small stories into one bigger than life story is what kept me turning the pages.

3 comments about Empires Beyond the Great Wall: The Heritage of Genghis Khan.

1. Opens up an array of artworks known to few in the West (or the East, for that matter), since North-Asian tribal cultures have long been rather stigmatized. Lovingly photographed, with quite breathtaking color reproduction. Informative text. A truly exciting introduction to the arts and archaeological finds of the Asian steppes and "frontier" areas.



2. Thank you for such a wonderfully insightful, beautiful book! It has enhanced my knowledge tremendously of the time period, and is a wonderful addition to my library. I found it to be intelligently written, engaging to the reader, written with a great deal of passion and knowledge. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a love of the arts. Hopefully, the show this was based on might tour again in the future as I would love the opportunity to view these extraordinary pieces described in the book first hand. Thank you again.



3. Although this catalog does not all of the best pieces from the exhibit (most notably absent are the yurts and archery equipment), it does have a good selection of maps ans supporting text for the items that are included. Broken down by time period rather than by object (which for the Nomads of Eurasia and Son of Heaven catalogs proved to be a more useful format) it is nonetheless valuable for its coverage of pieces that have not shown up in any other museum exhibit.

1 comments about Modern Chinese Artists: A Biographical Dictionary.

1. This is a great start, & should enjoy at least 4 stars, but I can't bring myself to award more than 2 stars because - through no fault of the author - Chinese art has moved on so fast since he wrote this biography, that I find alot of Chinese artists known outside China are simply not included in the book. For researchers & students it's a great snapshot in time; for collectors it is rather disappointing. So the question is when is the next edition going to be ready?!

No comments about New York City's Chinese Community (Images of America: New York).