<p>"Riveting. A marvel of memory. Poignant proof of the human will to endure." &#8212; Amy Tan. <p>"Brilliant, compelling, and unforgettable. A heart-rending modern day Cinderella story set against the turbulence of 20th century China. Autobiography at its best." &#8212;Nien Chang, author of <i>Life and Death in Shanghai.</i> <p>"Charged with emotion... A vivid portrait of the human capacity for meanness, malice &#8212; and love." &#8212; Jung Chang, author of <i>Wild Swans.</i> <p>"Fascinating and heart-rending stuff... a harrowing story of emotional cruelty." &#8212; <i>The Times of London</i> <p><b>International bestseller.</b> <p><b>The emotionally wrenching yet ultimately uplifting memoir of a Chinese woman struggling to win the love and acceptance of her family.</b> <p>In this compelling memoir that scaled bestseller lists in England, Australia, and Hong Kong, Adeline Yen Mah chronicles her painful childhood growing up in a wealthy yet abusive Chinese family. The unwanted daughter scorned by her family, young Adeline dreamed of freedom and independence, ultimately escaping to the West to launch a successful career in medicine. <p>When Adeline's mother died giving birth to her, she was deemed bad luck and ostracized by her family. Then her father took a beautiful Eurasian bride and Adeline soon fell victim to the wrath of her stepmother. Treated as a pariah, she was shuttled off to boarding schools, bullied by her siblings, and deprived of the beautiful clothes and things given to the rest of the family. <p>Moving from Shanghai and Hong Kong to London and the United States, <i>Falling Leaves</i> is an enthralling saga of a prosperous Chinese family set against a background of changing political times and the collision of East and West. Written in haunting prose, it evokes all the suspense and emotional force of a satisfying novel. Adeline Yen Mah http://lakenet.llcoop.org/search/X?Falling+Leaves+Yen+Mah 50 2007-09-20T10:15:41-04:00 A heart-wrenching but ultimately inspiring memoir recounts the author's painful childhood as the unwanted daughter of a wealthy yet abusive Chinese family, from which she escaped to the West. 591 0471247421