Falling Leaves - Adeline Mah Yen

This will not be one of my mammoth opinions. Not because there isn't much to say about Adeline Yen Mah's FALLING LEAVES, but because the outline of the book, and indeed its theme and style, is describable in a nutshell... the rest, I'm afraid, can be lived only by actually reading the book. So off we go. FALLING LEAVES is a modern classic, one of those books that have to be read sooner or later, if for nothing else to be able to judge for oneself what the fuss is all about. It is the true story of a Chinese girl, born to a well-to-do Chinese family in pre-Communist China, who grows up through her childhood, adolescence and pre-adulthood in ...  Read the complete review

I absolutely love autobiographies and it's pretty much all I read, but unfortunately I was a bit disappointed with this book. I knew it was going to be a fairly sad story, as that is how it's described on the back of the book, but it also says that it's an inspiring story about success in the face of many hurdles - unfortunately I just didn't see enough of this side talked about and I felt that it dragged in places and found my mind drifting. ***** Story ***** Adeline Mah is a child born into a middle-class family in Shanghai. Sadly her mother dies during her birth and it is not long before her father finds a new wife in a lady the children call ...  Read the complete review

I have just finished reading Adeline Yen Mah's book Falling Leaves: The True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter and I have to say I found it a real mixed bag of a read. Part of me found the abuse and neglect suffered by Adeline made for harrowing and engrossing reading which definitely yanks on the heartstrings. The other part of me began to get fed up with the humble and self-pitying tone played throughout and the knowledge that this story has been told a hundred times in a hundred ways by others who have done it better. The Plot ~~~~~~~~ Without divulging too much information - for those who haven't read it here goes. Adeline ...  Read the complete review

Published: 1999 :: Introduction :: I've picked up this title from a charity shop this summer as I was drawn to the sub title of the book: The True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter'. I'm no sucker for hard childhood stories (on the contrary, there seem to be too many around nowadays) nevertheless I do pick one or two up occasionally for some inspiration and insight into others' lives and sometimes harrowing experiences. :: About the author :: Adeline Yen Mah is a doctor who lives in America. Falling Leaves is her first autobiographical novel. :: The plot :: Falling Leaves spans an impressive 60 years ...  Read the complete review

Falling Leaves is a true story. It combines the heartrending story of Adeline Yen Mah and how she fought family rejection, with the history of China and the Communist Revolution. The story is at times painful to read and you can feel the difficulty the author had in actually writing it. The deep feelings towards her family and her need for acceptance and love are apparent right through the book. Adeline was the fifth youngest daughter of a Chinese family living in Jiangjin. A lowly position in the best of circumstances. Her mother died giving birth to her and according to Chinese tradition this made her 'bad luck'. Adeline's father ...  Read the complete review