Easy read. ( )

A simple and yet beautiful memoir of a ballet dancer, who was taken from his peasant classed family as a young 11 year old boy in Qingdao, and brought to Beijing, to attend a dance school that received the patronage of Madam Mao Tze Dong.

Cunxin takes us through his childhood, growing up as one of 7 sons of poor peasant family during China's Cultural Revolution. They are all subjected to Mao's communist propaganda, believing China to be a glorious nation and that despite the fact that they are poor, often hungry and also overworked, other countries in the West were far worse off then they were. His descriptions of their living conditions as seen through his eyes as a child were matter-of-fact. The commune they live in provide them with a close community wherein everyone in the village shares in one another's joy and troubles. Although they are poor, Cuxin and his brothers are brought up by their parents and grandmother to be dignified, carry themselves with pride, and more importantly, never to do anything that will bring disgrace to the Li name. His descriptions of his family was nothing short of touching in the depth of love that their parents showed each other and their children.

When he's selected among the many students in his school to attend the illustrious dance school in Beijing, he faced loneliness and homesickness for the initial years at the school. He was allowed home only once a year for one month, for the Chinese New Year. He saved what he could of his meager allowance to buy gifts for his family and friends, and also money for his parents.

Through his term at the dance school, he was fortunate to meet teachers who became his mentors and guided and encouraged him to strive to become the best that he could be. What was interesting was that, even as a child, although he was an enthusiastic communist and a Young Red Guard, he provided a blunt look at the many restrictions placed on all their lives during this period in China, and the irrational policies issued by Mao and the Gang of Four that caused greater suffering among the people.

His grit and determination opened opportunities to him beyond his wildest dreams. He was selected as the first of Mao's dancers to represent China together one of his classmates in a cultural exchange with the US. His success during this trip led to another longer stint in the US with the Houston Ballet Academy, his growing success as an acclaimed dancer and his ultimate dramatic defection. This defection will cut him off from the family that he misses and his friends.

His humility and integrity shines throughout the book and we cannot help but cheer him on from the sidelines. What shouts the loudest though from the start to the finish, is that of love. There is so much love and support among his family and his close friends, love that even prolonged separation is unable to dim, and it's the lessons of love he learns from his family's side that I think gives him the strength to be the person he becomes. ( )

I've avoided reading this book so only read it to have a legitimately informed opinion...My main difficulty is with the voice that was chosen for him...the slightly naive, wondering and also complaining voice does not do justice to the many aspects of his life... to my mind the most interesting parts were his early childhood and his development as a dancer in China...his descriptions of how he worked and worked to master a particular technical feat ...were illuminating...but he never became a person I warmed to...and his cross country comparisons while clearly illuminating for him....to my mind added nothing to my understanding of what we can legitimately expect of the wealthiest and most powerful country at the time (US) and what we can legitimately expect of the (at the time) world's most populous country (China) ( )

Synopsis: Born in one of the poorest provinces in China to peasants, it seems as though Li Cunxin's life has already been determined for him - working in the fields as his father has for his entire life. However, government officials come to his school one day and choose him and a handful of other students out of the whole of China to study ballet full-time at China's best dance academy.
Here, with the support of his family and the belief that he can do it if he perseveres, Li Cunxin becomes one of China's most prestigious dancers and is even one of two selected students to travel to America as China's first exchange students.
My Opinion: I read this book once when I was younger and remember enjoying it so much that I couldn't help but read it again.
Li Cunxin's story is so inspirational that, together, you feel anger at the barriers in his life, together, you miss his family, and together, you celebrate his triumphs.
A book - and life - full of inspiration and perseverance. ( )

In my mind ( )