The story of an unwanted Chinese daughter growing up during the Communist Revolution, blamed for her mother's death, ignored by her millionaire father and unwanted by her Eurasian step mother. A story of greed, hatred and jealousy; a domestic dramais played against the extraordinary political events in China and Hong Kong. Written with the emotional force of a novel but with a vividness drawn from a personal and political background. FALLING LEAVES has become a surprise bestseller all over the world.
Falling Leaves
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About the Author
Adeline Yen Mah took studied at London Univesity and now lives in the USA.
''My Chinese Cinderella. Her father's stunningly beautiful new young wife makes Snow White's wicked stepmother look like Mary Poppins. A compelling story.' - The Mail.
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First Sentence
At the age of three my grand aunt proclaimed her independence by categorically refusing to have her feet bound, resolutely tearing off the bandages as fast as they were applied. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
At the age of three my grand aunt proclaimed her independence by categorically refusing to have her feet bound, resolutely tearing off the bandages as fast as they were applied. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
By J. Page
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was browsing the site and I came upon this book which I read about 2 years ago. As soon as I saw the title I felt that I really should write a review because it was such an emotional experience reading this book. The author takes us through the death of her mother soon after her birth (the child being deemed a token of bad luck in China), the effect this had on her family relations and also the effect her father's subsequent marriage had on the family. You will tear your hair out with frustration because you want Adeleine to seek revenge on the family that treated her so badly. But for me the most important message in this book lies in the fact that rather than seek revenge she instead channelled her energy into putting together this well written account of her life. This book is full of lessons and different people will extract different things from it. It is definitely worth a read though if only to get an insight into a wealthy, yet emotionally bereft family living in China in the latter half of the 20th century. I would also recommend "Watching the tree" by the same author which deals with a lot of the Chinese philosophies raised in this book.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Hi! My names Alice and I'm 13 years old.......i live in Suffolk in England and recently when I went camping with family friends I read Chinese Cinderella and was very moved. I wanted to know what happened to Adeline Yan Mai after she went to the English Collage and so read Falling Leaves it is an amazing,powerful book that is well worth a read. I promise you will never take your loving family for granted again after you've read the story of a struggle for an unwanted child. This book is the story of one very courageous woman.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I've read both books 'Chinese Cinderella' and'Falling Leaves' by Adeline Yen Mah. Although I read Chinese history,especially from the period of the beginning of the Ching Dynasty until its vanquish at the hands of anti-Imperial forces with the coming into being of the Republic of China under Dr Sun Yat Sen,and then through to the period of the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s until the beginning of economic reforms in the 1970s,I am always captivated by autobiographical accounts of the lives of individuals,usually members of what one would call the Chinese diaspora, like that of Adeline Yen Mah.Reason:They usually tell you of their hardended views when expressing lives in China under the Communists in the early years, and their changed views(like that of Adeline ) of China today.
It has also proven that a changed environment - from a troubled China to Hong Kong and to UK and USA - has not changed,at least in attitude and thoughts, or much of them,anyway, in the Chineseness of a Chinese,wherever he or she may be.Forget the reason.Look at the number of trips she made back to China to see Aunt Baba and sister Lydia.
Of course, the author has made Falling Leaves even more interesting by talking about herself and family members,especially her stepmother.Even being Communist does not mean you are not interested in a lot of wealth.Having a lot of personal wealth doesn't mean you're not interested in some more. There is a trait in individuals that cannot change wherever you may be.
Most of all, Adeline's English is so good and she can really tell a story well so that when you pick up her book it is a page-turner to the end.Which was my own experience when I read after dinner till 3 in the morning!
S C Chan
Kuching,Sarawak
Malaysia
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By Parisa
Format:Paperback
My god, what an amazing book! From chapter 4 onwards I struggled to hold back my tears and felt thousands of needles piercing my heart when I read about Adeline's Niang slapping her ferociously because her friends wanted to celebrate their success. What made terribly sad was the way her siblings excluded her and her father who constantly ignored her. This is amazing book by someone who suffered throughout her childhood and overcame all obstacles to emerge triumphant. Adeline Yen Mah is an inspiration to thousands who have step-mothers and the best advice I can give you is to not only read Falling Leaves, but all the books she has written.
By Parisa diba Age 14
By Parisa diba Age 14
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter during the last 60 years. In order to explain the first scene in this memoir, Adeline Yen Mah has filled the opening chapters with lusty images of an emerging nation amid burgeoning commercial & international life at the end of an empire & the start of a revolution.
It is after Adeline's birth, during the Japanese encroachment around Tianjin in 1937, that her mother succumbs to puerperal fever leaving five children motherless & the household rudderless. The family must watch as Father seeks & marries a beautiful young Eurasian woman.
From here on Adeline Yen Mah's memoirs take on a dour & malevolent aspect. In her scrupulous honesty, Adeline muses that Niang must have been happy in the beginning, however, she forced siblings to choose sides, spy on each other & curry her favor. This most beautiful of stepmothers singles out the infant girl with particular venom; until Adeline is banished to boarding schools.
I survived that particular exile myself, so I found this author's memories devastating as well as healing. Adeline Yen Mah manages to recount, without a scrap of self-pity or rancor, the years of betrayal & persecution until her scholarship, literally rescues her from her stepmother's clutches. In England & at medical school, Adeline thrives. Knowing the England of the 1950s I was fascinated & familiar with her experiences. I followed her adventures with growing gladness even as my heart dropped with every dreaded return to the withered core of her family.
Then she makes her way to America & falls for a handsome man; beauty is as beauty does & why, I wondered, would someone with Adeline's relationship training, know how to choose a good man?
... Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Read
We have had this book for some time but was lent to a relative and not returned. This copy was purchased as a replacement and my good lady has started to read it again. Read more
Published 21 days ago by ColinB
3.0 out of 5 stars
A look into another culture
Recommended reading. Well written but not fond of autobiographies and this is a depressing one. Adeline perseveres against all odds to achieve liberation and success but is still... Read more
Published 1 month ago by heron
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best autobiography ever read
A great biography. I would strongly recommend also reading "Chinese Cinderella" by Adeline yen mah. I would recommend without thought.
Published 3 months ago by xiuxia gao
5.0 out of 5 stars
Falling Leaves
This book is excellent. Bought it some time ago and lent it out to someone. i decided to buy it again it is such a compelling read. Read more
Published 4 months ago by kladd
3.0 out of 5 stars
falling leaves
I enjoyed reading this book it gave me great insight to the life of a little Chinese girl who needed love and acceptance from her own family. Read more
Published 7 months ago by fairy
3.0 out of 5 stars
Average....
A good read overall, but not something I would read again as I found it quite flat. I found it hard to warm to the main character despite everything she went through as the book... Read more
Published 9 months ago by LunaVik
5.0 out of 5 stars
A "must-read" !
The book Falling Leaves is Adeline Yen Mah's autobiography-it is told in a "story" way. Falling Leaves is meant for older readers (13+), it has the same content as Chinese... Read more
Published 15 months ago by TanyaXYZ
4.0 out of 5 stars
Emotional And Brilliant
This true story will bring tears to your eyes as you are taken through a journey conveyed at the start through the eyes of a young Chinese girl who is looked on as being bad luck. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Miss P J Bourhill
4.0 out of 5 stars
beautiful but....
Exquisitely written and very moving though this is, one wonders whether airing dirty laundry in public is the answer. How must this hurt the remaining family members? Read more
Published 16 months ago by Maria Thanigasalam
1.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting but...
I went through very strange feelings reading this book. I almost felt angry against the author because even though i have read about her the culture (China) she seemed to just be... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mariar
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