I received this book from my 82 year old mother-in-law Xmas 1997 and began it right away out of politeness to her, and her enthusiasm was catchy. The book is a delight- a refreshing cool drink of water- beautifully written about the author's childhood as a Russian (escaping the revolutionary turmoil in Russia) in Shanghai in the 20's. The details are amazing, and there is no sappy sentimentality, just an honest rendering of life through a child's innocent eyes. These books are hard to find, but well worth the effort.