If you'd like to learn about Chinese history and culture from the early 1900's through the rise of communism to life under communism up to 1978 told from a woman's point of view, then I highly recommend this engrossing book written by Jung Chang. It's told as a family memoir of her grandmother's, mother's and her life and it brings a clarity to what it was like to live under Mao's rule that I know will make visiting China much more meaningful.

barefootbeach: Another great read is the heart-wrenching memoir "Life and Death in Shanghai" by Nien Cheng, I went to elementary school with her daughter Mei Ping.

Agree - wild swan was excellent. Highly recommended.

Shanghainese, Just put Life and Death in Shanghai in my Kindle, but probably won't have time to read it until we're in China, as I'm only half through Wild Swans. I'm afraid I'm going to be terribly depressed reading this book....what a tragedy to befall your schoolmate.

Thanks for the recommendation. I too have downloaded this book to my kindle. I am struggling to finish the Last Empress, a story about Madame chaing Kai-shek by Hannah pakula - very interesting and highly informative, but extremely dry reading and over 700 pages of history.

Thanks for the recommendations. I just ordered
Wild Swans and also Life and Death.
For a much much lighter read
Lost On Planet China was funny.
I read it after my trip to China, I
think I "got" it more then.

Question: Is there any risk in having books like this on our Kindles? I assume this isn't a welcome book there and wonder if anyone checks what books you bring in to the country?

Also, forgot to mention another great book that's very helpful and a quick read...."Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love and Language" by Deborah Fallows.
The woman writes about her struggle learning Mandarin while living in Shanghai but the language lessons helped her learn about Chinese culture, relationships, and shed light on differences in our world view. Definitely helps to understand the Chinese people more.

barefoot,

We visited China last month and our luggage was x-ray by customs. One of the luggage had magazines and books inside it and they inspected, or ask us to open that luggage. All the books and magazines were skimmed over by the agent but they did not inspect my laptop which I was carrying in plain sight.

We had to remove our iPad( filled with eBooks) for every flight we took in China but they never turned it on to check.

thanks for your inputs...I can't believe they'd bother to turn on our Kindles.

I can't find Wild Swans on Kindle. Is it published for Kindle? Thanks. I did order Life and Death. Heading to China next week!

cabovacation:

Have a terrific trip and let us know your impressions. I live in the East Bay, you are closer to the South Bay, right?

cabovacation,
I'm reading the fat paper book, but I just checked Amazon and they do have a Kindle edition. Have a great time in China!

Shanghainese, I work in Menlo Park, live at the far tip of sunnyvale, where it meets los altos. Daughter lives in Alamo.
Thanks for all your great info!

bookmarking

Shanghainese - I just finished the riveting story of Nien cheng. Thank you for the recommendation. Did you go to school with her daughter in shanghai during the cultural revolution or in Hong Kong? Did you or other family members live in china during this difficult period?

dgunbug:

I went to school in Shanghai thru high school, and college in Beijing. Most of my family and I survived the period but not my father, too painful to talk about ...

Shanghainese - I'm sorry to hear that you suffered during such a troublesome time in china. It's hard to understand how people can mistreat one another and how this is repeated in history throughout the ages.

Thanks very much, dgunbug, have a fantastic trip!