Name: Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
Rating: 3.625 (4 reviews)
ISBN: 9780007379873

Jung Chang

Few books have had such an impact as Wild Swans: a popular bestseller which has sold more than 13 million copies and a critically acclaimed history of China; a tragic tale of nightmarish cruelty and an uplifting story of bravery and survival.

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China

This was a book recommendation from my Chinese teacher in high school. 

I'm so sorry but this was the most melodramatic piece I have Ever read in my life. ohhh woe is me i lived under the ccp regime where my parents were top officials but we didn't Really want to participate there was just no other way :(((( and generally absolves her family of any wrongdoing or malice because once they realized the effects they didn't Really want to do it the system forced to! 

I think Chang's grandmother and mother's stories were compelling, painting a picture of warlord and civil war era China that is unique and not often told in the West. Her grandmother was a concubine to a general and later a 'homewrecker' to a Manchurian doctor explores dynamics of filial piety and class dynamics hard to visualize in a textbook. Similarly Chung's mom's upbringing during the civil war and having family split between KMT and CCP allegiances and rising to the top in a system like that was a look behind the veil. 

It's when she starts talking about herself and growing up during the Cultural Revolution that it gets irritating. Wow I can't believe all my classmates are DUMB and SHEEP for following the commies but not my family we are always on the right side!!! (Chang herself acknowledges that the school she attended, the houses where she grew up were because of knowing the backdoors that others had no access to). All my classmates are evil and forcing all these confessions out of people but im GOOD and only do the minimal possible to look like im participating and not be implicated myself!!!!! (There's a very interesting goodreads comment talking about how Chang participated and led a struggle session that she downplays in this book as an bystander forced to participate).

This itself forces me to revise that perhaps the earlier sections show the same bias, I am just unable to parse it out but I do think it's an interesting read about the transition of China up till Chang's personal narrative starts. 

This was a book recommendation from my Chinese teacher in high school. 

I'm so sorry but this was the most melodramatic piece I have Ever read in my life. ohhh woe is me i lived under the ccp regime where my parents were top officials but we didn't Really want to participate there was just no other way :(((( and generally absolves her family of any wrongdoing or malice because once they realized the effects they didn't Really want to do it the system forced to! 

I think Chang's grandmother and mother's stories were compelling, painting a picture of warlord and civil war era China that is unique and not often told in the West. Her grandmother was a concubine to a general and later a 'homewrecker' to a Manchurian doctor explores dynamics of filial piety and class dynamics hard to visualize in a textbook. Similarly Chung's mom's upbringing during the civil war and having family split between KMT and CCP allegiances and rising to the top in a system like that was a look behind the veil. 

It's when she starts talking about herself and growing up during the Cultural Revolution that it gets irritating. Wow I can't believe all my classmates are DUMB and SHEEP for following the commies but not my family we are always on the right side!!! (Chang herself acknowledges that the school she attended, the houses where she grew up were because of knowing the backdoors that others had no access to). All my classmates are evil and forcing all these confessions out of people but im GOOD and only do the minimal possible to look like im participating and not be implicated myself!!!!! (There's a very interesting goodreads comment talking about how Chang participated and led a struggle session that she downplays in this book as an bystander forced to participate).

This itself forces me to revise that perhaps the earlier sections show the same bias, I am just unable to parse it out but I do think it's an interesting read about the transition of China up till Chang's personal narrative starts. 

Perhaps one of the coolest books I’ve ever read, takes you through 80 years of chinese history through a family 

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China

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