Snow White's stepmother looks like a pussycat compared to the monster under which Adeline Yen Mah suffered. The author's memoir of life in mainland China and--after the 1949 revolution--Hong Kong is a gruesome chronicle of nonstop emotional abuse from her wealthy father and his beautiful, cruel second wife. Chinese proverbs scattered throughout the text pithily covey the traditional world view that prompted Adeline's subservience. Had she not escaped to America, where she experienced a fulfilling medical career and a happy marriage, her story would be unbearable; instead, it's grimly fascinating: Falling Leaves is an Asian Mommie Dearest. |
 Adeline Yen Mah, M.D. |
Editorial
Reviews of Falling Leaves from Amazon.com
The
New York Times Book Review
It's hard not to admire her [Mah's]
persistence and perseverance...
The Philadelphia Inquirer,
Helen I. Hwang
Her story is a lucid tale told with a quiet sense of
drama. Throughout most of the book, Mah draws the reader into her world of
loneliness and yearning as she reveals her parents' harsh
behavior.
| From
AudioFile In a story that proves that truth is stranger than fiction, Adeline Yen Mah tells the riveting and horrifying tale of her upbringing in China under the control of her malicious stepmother. As the "Fifth Youngest Daughter" in a society that disregards the value of girls, Adeline is the target of her stepmother's rage and her siblings' frustrations, while her father remains aloof. Writing with a calm simplicity, Yen Mah tells of striking out into the world to prove her worth, both to herself and... |
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Amazon Customer
Reviews
Beautiful Story!
March 10, 2000
Reviewer:
Christina Coulter from Florida, US
This was one of the most touching
stories I have ever read; it is beautifuly written and heartrenching, yet
warms the spirit to hear of such a strong soul! I cried at the injustices
Adeline suffered at the hands of her father and especially her
step-mother. I was also moved to tears by the injustice endured by her
family at the hands of the angry mobs in revolutionary China. I was
overjoyed and excited for her in her triumphs. I came to feel love and
care for this amazing young woman from China, a place so foriegn to me. I
came to better understand what compels others to do things not in their
own best intrests in order to gain the acceptance and affection of a loved
one. I believe we should thank Ms. Adeline Yen Mah for her courage and
strengh and her gift to us, that of sharing her amazing spirit with her
readers. I encountered great difficulty putting this book down, and when
not reading I found myself thinking of the story! A wonderful literary
expierience for anyone!
READ AND LEARN
June
10, 2000
Reviewer: Amber Thorpe from San Francisco
I read alot of
these reviews and they miss the mark. When it came to the two wills its
not so much the money. It's as if your parents are putting a price on how
much your worth in their eyes. To any child this is devastating and
painful. She felt better seeing her fathers will. As she should. She also
felt crushed by the selfish and thoughtless behavior of her siblings. This
book brings back the feelings I have felt many times throughout my life.
She said it just right. The issues here are not money but family
partiality and the pain that comes with it.
| from top right: Adeline's big sister Lydia, big brother Gregory, 2nd brother Edgar, 3rd brother James, younger sister Susan, half-brother Franklin, Adeline and family pet Jackie. |
 Falling Leaves |
 Watching The Tree |
 Chinese Cinderella |
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