“My mother imparted her daily truths so she could help my older brothers and me rise above our circumstances. We lived in San Francisco's Chinatown. Like most of the other Chinese children who played in the back alleys of restaurants and curio shops, I didn't think we were poor. My bowl was always full, three five-course meals every day, beginning with a soup full of mysterious things I didn't want to know the names of.”
This book delves into the lives of four Chinese-American mothers and their daughters, examining the cultural and generational gaps that exist between them. The narrative intertwines their personal stories, revealing the struggles and triumphs of their lives as they navigate both traditional Chinese values and the American culture they now inhabit. more
“I've always been a magnet for guilt.”
“Over time, passion wanes, differences don't.”
“I can never remember things I didn't understand in the first place.”