No Chinese Stranger carries on with the exceptionally intersting life of Jade Snow Wong. The book covers three phases of her life taking up from where 5th Chinese Daughter left off. We read of her efforts to establish herself in a shop and the problems she had to resolve before she was able to share a portion of a window in a shop owned by another. We also learn of her courtship and marriage. Her style fo raising her four children. We also see a dramatic change in writing style when we read of the death of Mrs. Wong's father. There is a switch from third to first person writing styles.

We also accompany Mrs. Wong and her husband on as she tours and lectures through Southeast Asia. This was the Southeast Asia of the early 1950s where colonies were in the process of converting to self-ruling nations and the resultant problems which they were experiencing. This trip was done at the behest and sponsership of the US State Department. What is illuminating was that prior to her departure, Mrs. Wong recieved no briefing from the State Department and her only real contact with the policy making experts was at the end of her trip when she went to Washington to be debriefed. One country she did not visit was Vietnam. When she gave her report to the State Department, the Vietnam desk asked why she hadn't gone to that country. The fact that she wasn't asked to is illustrative of future problems in that part of the world.

The book concludes with her visit to China with her husband shortly after the historic visit by Richard Nixon to China. The description of her trip, her meeting with family members residing in China and her contacts with government officials is exceptionally well presented. Remember, few Americans had been to China officially and it was a learning experience for all concerned. The problems encountered in the trip are quite educational for those contemplaiting a visit to China.

Throughout the book, there are constant references to her family. Her children, even when she is marveling at the sights in Beijing, are never far from her mind.

It was extremely fortunate that Mrs. Wong was able to travel with her husband for the assistance and advice he provided. By this time, they had become deeply involved in the travel industry and had made numerous trips to Asia outside of China. This experience served them well in their travels through China.

This is a marvelous book that offers a look at a second generation Chinese-American family as they move through the 1950s,60s and 70s. There is a revealing examiniation of China as it was evolving out of the Cultural Revolution and into a new phase of government and social styles.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in China and the social history of San Francisco, and most of all of the family of Jade Snow Wong. This is a marvelous book and I only wish it was back in print.

The Fifth Chinese Daughter is an excellently written novel about a Chinese American girl growing up in San Francisco's Chinatown. When this book arrived in the mail the last thing I wanted to do was read it when I could play my X-box and watch T.V. After a week I finally got around to reading a chapter and was surprised to find myself reading it all day. Unfortunately I didn't pick it up again until I was in Sedona with my Dad. There I read all but fourteen pages. It wasn't for another week until I finished.
This story was expertly written and fun to read. Despite my early protests I enjoyed hearing about a young oriental girl change from a well-disciplined Chinese daughter growing up in Chinatown to an artist who finally achieved the recognition from her family she had longed for since childhood. It gave a sense of evolution, struggle, and triumph, as the book progresses. It explains a child's need for acceptance, respect, and material riches as Jade Snow Wong progresses through school, odd jobs, collage, and adulthood. This would have been my favorite book all summer had it not been for reading The Grey Ghost, but i'm not here to review that so i'll go on.
This book is obviously a book I would recommend to others because it always has the main character striving to survive in a stereotypical world. It shows Jade Snow's personality being that the harder it got the harder she would try. This is shown many times in the book, like when she went to the employment agents and found jobs in house working. Also when she got into Mills Collage, that she wanted more then just to clean houses and end up as a house wife like she had been raised and become something more.
Unlike other novels I've read this summer this one sticks out by its great writing style and many twists. An example of witch is when she gets a job at a shipyard and works for what seems might be the whole war when she gets only one job option, to be a secretary.I shouldn't give away what happens naext for fear of not getting my review published. Her accomplishments finally drive her family to recognize her. The book has many unexpected twists and turn and was a joy to read, so i recomend that you read it to.

The Fifth Chinese Daughter is an excellently written noval about a Chinese American girl growing up in San Fransiscos Chinatown. When this book arrived in the mail the last thing I wanted to do was read it when I could play my X-box and watch T.V. After a week I finaly got around to reading a chapter and was surprised to find myself reading it all day. Unfortanently I didn't pick it up again untill I was in Sedona with my Dad. There I read all but forteen pages. It wasn't a for another week untill I finished.
This story was expertly written and fun to read. Dispite my early protests I enjoyed hearing about a young oriantle girl change from a well disaplined chinese daughter growing up in Chinatown to an artist who finally achived the recognition from her family she had longed for since childhhod. It gave a sense of evolution, struggle, and triumph, as the book progresses. It explanes a childs need for aceptece, respect, and material riches as Jade Snow Wong progresses through school, odd jobs, collage, and adulthood.
This book is obviosly a book I would recomend to others because it always has the main charecter striving to survive in a sterotypical world. It shows Jade Snow's personality being that the harder it got the the harder she would try. This is shown many times in the book, like when she went to the employment agentsy and found jobs in houseworking. Also when she got into Mills Collage, that she wanted more then just to clean houses and end up as a house wife like she had been raised and become somthing more.
Unlike other novals i've read this summer this one sticks out by it's great writing style and many twists. An example of witch is when she gets a job at a shipyard and works for what seems might be the whole war when she gets only one job option, to be a secretary. She turns it down when she gets an idea to shape pottery and then to sell it. Her acomplishments as an artist finaly drive her family to recognize her. The book has many unexpected twists and turn and was a joy to read.

The Fifth Chinese Daughter is an excellently written novel about a Chinese American girl growing up in San Francisco's Chinatown. When this book arrived in the mail the last thing I wanted to do was read it when I could play my X-box and watch T.V. After a week I finally got around to reading a chapter and was surprised to find myself reading it all day. Unfortunately I didn't pick it up again until I was in Sedona with my Dad. There I read all but fourteen pages. It wasn't for another week until I finished.
This story was expertly written and fun to read. Despite my early protests I enjoyed hearing about a young oriental girl change from a well-disciplined Chinese daughter growing up in Chinatown to an artist who finally achieved the recognition from her family she had longed for since childhood. It gave a sense of evolution, struggle, and triumph, as the book progresses. It explains a child's need for acceptance, respect, and material riches as Jade Snow Wong progresses through school, odd jobs, collage, and adulthood.
This book is obviously a book I would recommend to others because it always has the main character striving to survive in a stereotypical world. It shows Jade Snow's personality being that the harder it got the harder she would try. This is shown many times in the book, like when she went to the employment agents and found jobs in house working. Also when she got into Mills Collage, that she wanted more then just to clean houses and end up as a house wife like she had been raised and become something more.
Unlike other novels I've read this summer this one sticks out by its great writing style and many twists. An example of witch is when she gets a job at a shipyard and works for what seems might be the whole war when she gets only one job option, to be a secretary. She turns it down when she gets an idea to shape pottery and then to sell it. Her accomplishments as an artist finally drive her family to recognize her. The book has many unexpected twists and turn and was a joy to read.