Moying Li

I just discovered that I read this book ten years ago and had no memory of it. Wow. My review said the writing was "bland," and I'm afraid my opinion hasn't changed. To have completely forgotten a book, it must have made no impression on me. The thing is, the story is very interesting, but it doesn't move me in any way. For me, the narrative is very flat. To have read this twice with the same reaction and totally forgotten it, I must have a) had an interest in what it was like to live show more through the Cultural Revolution and b) gotten very little out of it. I often forget characters and whole plots, but not that I have read a book. I just think it could have been so much more. show less

Personal story of growing up during the Chinese Revolution; descriptive scenes of RedGuard activities acccentuate the depths of absurdity of the CUltural Revolution, Unlike other works of this type, the focus is not solely on the emotional turmoil of the narrator, but a broader picture of how the world around her affected she and her family

A wonderfully written description of the author's life and family during the historic periods of The Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution and the re-opening of China. I've read or heard many stories of people's lives during the Cultural Revolution and all the stories are very similar. However, I still find the period fascinating and am amazed by the stories that I hear and read.

Moying Li shares the love for her family and especially her maternal grandmother in the pages. I definitely show more recommend this book for a quick read of one person's life during a very historic period in China. show less

Li's book is a moving first-hand account of living through the cultural revolution in China. She manages to survive by moving to the hinterlands and working on a farm. All the while, she remains true to her first love: books and literature. A glossary and chronology make the book more accessible for the average reader.