This autobiography can be quite dense at times as it is chock full of history, but Gao’s life was so intertwined with the rise of and rule of the People’s Communist Party that there was no way around it. (Both of her parents played major roles in the party and even though they died when Gao was young, their service benefited her in some ways.)

Although it took me a while to read because of this, I still found it informative and enjoyable. I read books like this and realize how little I know of how people in other countries live(d). I’m sure I’ve said that before and will probably say it again, but it is one of the reasons I love reading biography and history books. You get a glimpse into a part of the world you would have never seen otherwise.

I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in China around 1940s-1990s. I learned a lot and came away with a better understanding of what China was like, both during and after the Chinese Revolution and Cultural Revolution. ( )

Poor family, what a struggle for these young children. Makes you realise how fortunate we are ( )

A memoir of Anhua Gao, a woman born in 1949 in Shandong Province, China. Her life in Communist China and the numerous tragedies and suffering she endured is hard to comprehend. All the awful things I've heard about China are true and then some. The way women are treated and the corrupt, unyielding government and SSB/Police are terrible! Great book to read for Chinese history. ( )

This is one of several books that I have read on life during China's Cultural Revolution. It is similar to and different from the others because of the situation each author found themselves in through their birth and family. Anhua Gao led a protected life being the daughter of two Communist Martyrs. She was lucky to have protectors come to her rescue in her times of need. This is not to say her life was easy...it wasn't especially after her mother died. But she seems to gloss over some aspects of the life when compared to the books such as Red Azelea by Anchee Min (the life of a woman whose family was an intellectual), Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng (the life of a rich diplomat's wife accused of being a spy) and Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang (lives of three women from grandmother to mother to daughter).

Each of the above books has a slightly different perspective on the Cultural Revolution...they are all worth reading. They make you appreciate what you have in North America and are testaments to human courage. So far I have only read a woman's point of view it would be interesting to find a book showing a man's viewpoint. ( )