You know when I don't want to put a book down to get a brownie in the kitchen that it's something worth reading. Truly, no fiction can compare with reality in this Chinese family's biography. The author tells the stories of her grandmother, mother and her own and the great changes in China during these 3 generations.
Grandmother: bound feet, married off as concubine to a warlord
Mother: survived civil war, active member of communist party
Author: child during Mao's "Great Leap Forward" and "Cultural Revolution", a Red Guard
The book is banned in mainland China, according to wikipedia, and for good reason. It describes what actually happened under "Chairman Mao". It gave me a whole new perspective on agency, democracy, education and fear.
There's really no way to say enough about this book and about Mao or China, so you'll just have to put it on your to-read list.
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