Tuesday, 21 July 2009
-
Good Read -- Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
I am a Canadian-born-Chinese and although I am very fortunate to grow up in a western country, speak English, and have so many opportunities for work and education, I always felt sad that I didn't know much about my own cultural background or language. My parents are pretty westernized and they speak English fluently. It was the main language of communication in my house growing up.
This is why I chose to go to Hong Kong for my university study-exchange back in 2007. During that time, one of my teachers lent me this book: "Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China"
I had never even heard of the cultural revolution in modern China until I read this book. The author tells of her first-hand experience under the brutality of Mao Zedong's Red Army and seriously, this book will shock you and open your eyes. I immediately talked to my mother about this book after I finished reading it. The cultural revolution was only one generation ago... My mother was residing in Hong Kong at the time, but she said she still saw many riots occur and since HK is so close to China, she saw dead bodies floating down the current of the HK waters.
My friend is trying to convince me to get a PSP so that I can play with him. But video games make me feel kinda dumb if I engage in them for too long. Books, however, broaden your mind and bring you into the eyes of a world you have never experienced.
I really enjoyed "Memoirs of a Geisha". Although the characters are fictitious, the author studied Japanese culture extensively before writing that book. I am currently on the look out for more books on Aboriginal and Indigenous populations because I am thinking about doing some work with these populations in the future. They really are an unfairly disadvantaged population and they top the charts in so many health aspects like diabetes, alcholism, fetal alcohol syndrome, etc. But please, if you guys know of any interesting books that really opened your mind and engaged you culturally, please let me know!
-
recommend
- recs 0
-
email
- sent 0
- like
Related Posts
Post a Comment
- Back to theHealthRabbit's Xanga Site!
- Note: your comment will appear in theHealthRabbit's local time zone: GMT -05:00 (Eastern Standard - US, Canada)
Comments (24)
read a book on Ishi. He was fascinating. The last indian left in his tribe. I also loved Memoirs of a Geisha. It is one of my favs. And, I will have to read Wild Swans. I am quite the reader, and if you liked Memoirs and a rec this, it must be good!
Reading Lolita in Tehran is a great book and really let's you in on the Islamic Republic of Iran. This book really made me furious because I hate when people use Islam for their political motives.
The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns shows you the Afghani culture and the people's experience during the Taliban Reign.
I also read The Pure Land, which is a fiction based on a true story. It's about a man who helps change Japan.
I will definitely add Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China to my book list. =]
wow you did exchange in hk? Which University did you go to? hmm interesting book. I don't know anything about chinese history =(
Chinese-born Canadian or Canadian-born Chinese?
I love books! I'll definitely have to check that one out. My best friend's favorite book is "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan, which was also made into a movie a while back. She swears by it, so you should check that one out, too, if you have a chance. I never read the book, but I remember watching the movie, and even though I'm Viet-Chinese, I could definitely relate to the Asian traditions/customs that were shown throughout the film. Warning: it could be a tear-jerky, so have some tissues on hand!
I totally agree- The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns were absolutely beautiful books. I learned a lot from Freakanomics, and am now reading Outliers. Malcolm X, The Invisible Man, and Paulo Freire changed my life. Maya Angelous' Letter To My Daughter is beautiful, and I loved all of Amy Tan's books. Diana Abu-Jabar writes similarly to The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns- try "Crescent" and "Arabian Jazz."
Good for you for seeking out knowledge!
hm... perhaps i'll check that book out. i'm studying abroad in hk next spring! any tips? ;) heh.
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
你好呀!本人只係路過,順便宣傳下眷戀論壇..........
ＸＡＮＧＡ必用表情公仔：http://www.pinkloveforum.com/icon/pinklove.htm
主網站: http://www.pinkloveforum.com/?fromuid=1
論壇簡介:
愛情故事，實物買賣交易區(教科書買賣,衫,)
推薦:::交友區>>>>招男&女友，潮流特區，搵快錢
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
@kachino - you got me!! nice catch. and harry potter is awesome-ness!!!
the book im going to recommend is pretty boring -_-
it's called "the rise of modern china"
i forgot who is the author but he's a westerner, so this book talks about modern chinese history .... fall of the last dynasty to modern communism
it's pretty good! u can learn A LOT!
BUT i think ancient Chinese history is even better:) much more interesting!
a few thousand years of history includes lots of fascinating stories and legends!
hmmm, i was born in Hong kong and grew up in Australia... but then i went back to Hong Kong again when i was eleven....but i dont think im westernised at all and my parents are really tradtional hong kong people :)
i encourage you to learn a bit more about ur cultural background and the language ... its a part of who you really are :)
A recent favorite book of mine was The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David Kessler. Since you are a nutrition student, I would love to hear your opinion on it. I also adored Memoirs of a Geisha, and ended up reading the autobiography of the Mineko Iwasaki, called Geisha, a Life. She is the geisha who gave Arthur Golden most of his information, and in fact, many of the events in Golden's book are directly taken from Iwasaski's life.
If you are looking for some quick reads, try anything by Nancy Farmer. She is a YA author who's received several Newberry Awards for her work. Her The House of the Scorpion, A Girl Named Disaster and The Ear, the Eye and the Arm are all excellent. She spent time in Africa, and many of her books take place there. Happy Reading! ~ L
hey there,
i recommend reading 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' by Khaled Hosseini and 'Chinese Cinderella' by Adeline Yen Mah (this one made me cry like a baby, it's so heart wrenching!!).
Have a blast reading these if you choose to! :)
When you say, "Canadian-born-Chinese" does that make you a first generation Canadian or a second generation Chinese? Not that it matters ... just curious.
@communitychannel - I'm not exactly sure what generation that makes me.... 1st Canadian I guess? My parents came to Canada in the seventies. They're citizens here now. And when I was born, I was given Canadian citizenship. I don't have any Chinese citizenship~
As a Canadian, I have desires for happiness and living to the full. My book recommendation is James Burke's " Pinball Effect " where he connects history and technology - pointing the way to the future of mankind.
I read this book a year ago, for a project in one of my classes. It took me awhile to get through, as most nonfiction and history books tend to (for me). But I liked it.
Suggestions. Hm...
Hi! I'm Sonja. I like your blog because I'm into nutrition too, and I hope you don't mind me subscribing!
PS. The book looks interesting :)
The Kite Runner and Memoirs are really good reads. I would like to recommend Night by Elie Wiesel. It's not about Asian culture. It's about the Holocaust. It's relatively short but really powerful. I loved it. I am Asian too. We have a very rich culture :D
@misobored - You're going to have a blast~ What school are you going to study at? Gah, i'm so jealous!! haha
I'm hoping to travel next summer after I graduate... but it all depends on if i get acceptance into an internship or grad school =(
I read this book called the Last Empress and I think followed by Empress Orchid by Anchee Min. It's a book about a girl being one of the Kings concubines and her life during the imperial times. It's really interesting to see how these women lived and what they went under. Some of the issues in the book are from historical events. I've always wanted to know more of my culture so this was great. Give it a shot and see if you like it. I also like Memoirs of a Geisha.=)
"Ghostwritten" by David Mitchell! Read it! readitreaditreadit!
Also "World War Z"... if you don't mind blood and guts
@i_Nutrition - HKU :D
you seem genuinely passionate about nutrition so I'm sure you'll do well =) knock 'em down!
It's amazing how quickly we forget the evils of this world. Those who survive the cultural revolution has much to tell. That was the ugly times in China history; so much was lost; can't believe many still think Mao as a national hero.
I read the book "Nadia's Song" a couple years back. It takes place mostly in Egypt. I'm half Egyptian. It doesn't go DEEP into the culture or anything, but I really connected with it, it was great. I agree with the statement about Night too. It was awesome. The other two in the "series" (though they are in no way connected) are Dawn and Day. Also very good (though not cultural). Also a book you could consider about culture is Smashed by Koren Zalkis (I didn't spell her last name right...) it's amazing. It's about our alcohol consumed youth here in the States haha. It's a memior, but it has lots of statistics about drinking and stuff, pretty cool I thought.