Jessica J. Lee (1) (1986–)

audio nonfiction - Taiwanese-Canadian family history/memoir (~6 hrs)

Sort of a quiet, contemplative, meditative kinf of read--explores distinctive plants and birds of the island, plus lots of Taiwan history and some Chinese history as relates to the author's maternal grandparents, 1st generation immigrants from China to Taiwan, and later to Canada. I was fairly distracted when I listened to this so probably can't do it justice, but I enjoyed the parts I remember even though it never really grabbed my attention.… (más)

This is a nice book but a bit sad. Winter is coming, snows on the ground, and everything is chilly. A daughter and her mother live in their home and the daughter loves the outside in the snow, but her mom does not. Mom takes her daughter on a vacation to where she grew up, where it’s always warm and sunny. The daughter learns what her mother loves about home and tries to find those same things in their home back in the winter place. As I mentioned before, this was an interesting, read. It’s deep and reflective and leaves room to think and have discussions about families, in particular immigrant families who are making new lives.… (más)

This is a quiet book, and I started it when I was in need of a quiet book. By the middle of the book I was no longer in the mood for a quiet book, I was looking for a bit of action, but I didn't want to give up on this book simply because my mood had changed. I kept with it, and it remained a quiet book throughout.

The whole thing with the failed relationship with Jacob was a red herring. The author seemed to indicate there would be something, SOMETHING, that made the relationship fail, because clearly it was in the past, but when the big moment arrives it's simply that he doesn't seem that into her. Bit of a letdown.… (más)

I finished the first half of the year with this poignant story, and it was an effective cap to reflect on all I've read. As the title suggests, the author has lived in multiple places—Europe, Canada, and Taiwan—but is seeking a fuller connection to her deceased grandparents, who experienced heart-wrenching placelessness as they left their own origins in mainland China and never were able to return to see hometowns and elders. The upside of such a heavy story is Lee's frequent trips throughout the natural world of Taiwan, taking on ever more challenging hikes to better understand the unique flora and topography of the island. Every place on our planet has a measure of natural beauty, and exploring it is an excellent way to feel more belonging and connection to the place(s) you came from.… (más)