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Summary: A Touching Memoir About Life in Communist China
Review: Brimming with heartache and pain, Jung Chang narrates her and her family's extraordinary experiences during Communist China. While achieving both accuracy and reliability as a historical account, Chang depicts the results of broken emotions, unmet desires, and utter hopelessness. The author tells a story of suppressed love and unfulfilled passions. Her account of surviving famine, foreign occupation, and poverty brings an sense of urgency to the reader, while the problems of retaining family values allows the reader to sympathize with Chang. Chang's unique story and first-hand experience of the cruelties of life rate the novel far above the ordinary. Carrying the readers through an unfamiliar part of the world, Chang elucidates daily life in the Eastern part of the globe in a riveting manner. The reader is exposed to the changing ideals and evolution of communism over three generations, each very different from the others. Her portrayal of her family members, especially that of her father, creates an enormous effect, causing the reader to become emotionally attached to them. Chang's vivid portrayal of China's scenery allows the reader to see, hear, touch, and taste China. The autobiography has a unique setup of the plot, both intricate in itself, but simple as a whole. Chang carries the readers through endless tragedy and unhappiness. The sudden imminence of relief towards the end provides the reader with satisfaction and a sense of completion. Jung Chang's memoir illuminates the power of inner resolve.
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Summary: Wild Swans Not for Everyone
Review: Wild Swans' author, Jung Chang, fulfilled what she set out to do with her book: give an accurate portrayal of life in China over the last one hundred fifty or so years. The book's words are probably as accurate as a history book's, but that is also one of Wild Swan's downsides.Though supposedly told from the perspective of three generation of Chinese women, Wild Swans is almost devoid of feeling or emotion. Jung Chang regurgitates dates, events, and stories of her family's past in a very disconnected, objective manner. Though this may be fine for a research paper, it makes for a somewhat dry story. I did not just want to know what happened; I also wanted to feel what Jung Chang felt. Even the most startling events in these women's lives were glossed over and merely "stated." In all honesty, this is not a book I would pick to read for entertainment purposes. It is, however, a very good choice for anyone that wants to learn about China (especially Communist China). The book's five hundred pages are certainly laden with content, and will not disappoint those who know what to expect from the book.
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Summary: Wild Swans Book Review
Review: Jung Chang's native language is not English. Although her English prose deftly and poetically puts the entirety (smells, moods, images) of a scene into words, her memoir Wild Swans is distinctively Chinese. Chang swiftly moves through a century of turmoil and pain in China, with the breadth of a history textbook but told as a personal account. Chang channels her grandmother and mother to transcribe this tale not of mothers and daughters, but of China and its children. It is mainly a political story in a familial setting as three strong women experience and are actively involved with the old Imperialist government, the Japanese and Kuomintang regimes, and the communist government under Mao.
There is a solidity behind Chang's writing, the strength of a woman carrying the weight of the suffering she describes while maintaining sensitivity and clarity. This spirit comes through in different shades from each of the main characters, her mother and grandmother. How these women evolved is a testament to their experiences and the real effect government has on lives. Pain is a centerpoint of the story, apparent on every page of Wild Swans - it is unavoidable and impossible to rationalize. Such is all of history, but China suffered more than its fair share throughout the 20th century.
As the story progresses, the nature of Mao-ist China is further revealed through the juxtaposition of Chang's teenage point of view and her current thoughts. What was lacking and what went wrong becomes strikingly clear although the line between everyday right and wrong, so fuzzed by rampant propaganda and widespread corruption, is only more obscured, but intentionally so. Wild Swans is a crisply told story of China's 20th century, personal in scope but ultimately revelatory on a larger scale.
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Summary: Wild Swans Review
Review: A fascinating memoir of the evolution of China from the age of the monarchy to a radical Communism, Wild Swans depicts and reveals a new world, one never seen previously by the eyes of many people. Jung Chang's historical accuracy and thoroughness provide clear descriptions and solid accounts of political and socio-economical circumstances present under various forms of rule. A captivating recollection of historical revelations, Wild Swans is enhanced by a story of hope, despair, and suffering, a tale of three women, born to three distinct generations. Chang's candid and straightforward approach in recalling her family's story allows her words to flow effortlessly and effectively create an incisive piece. The author's change in view of Mao eclipses all aspects of the story. A gradual sway in opinion formulates through unique personal experiences. Chang's positive and negative perspectives of Mao appear sensible through her deft and effective use of language. The author also fully captures her audience, significantly convincing and explaining to readers why people succumbed to Communism after experiencing the atrocities of previous forms of rule. Wild Swans proves to be a perfect blend of a muckraker's work and a powerful, moving story based on the impact of a riveting history.
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Summary: Wild Swans: A Masterpiece of Chinese History
Review: Jung Chang's Wild Swans is a gripping tale of the lives of three Chinese women, set against a wide timeframe that encompasses not only the rise and fall of Chairman Mao Zedong but also a time of Chinese warlords. Progressing in a reasonably cohesive, though at times sluggish, manner, the themes prevalent throughout Wild Swans paint a distinct portrait of not only these three women of China and their extensive family, but also of China itself, as Each chapter reveals not only the authors reactions to China's change but also those of numerous people. Immensely detailed in the definition of its characters and their interactions, Wild Swans truly portrays an image of China as witnessed by Jung Chang and her ancestors, each individual possessing a detailed life story that recounts not only his or her experiences, but also the mindsets that reflect upon these, evolving throughout the tale. Indeed, one may well analyze the evolution of Jung Chang's personal opinion of Mao and China's grandeur as the former waxes and wanes in power reaching that of a deified king. Wild Swans is a magnificent history of China, its breath and scope capturing the evolution of Chinese communism in its rise and decline.
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Summary: A Comprehensive Memoir of Political Wars in China
Review: Wild Swans is a compelling memoir chronicling three generations of women during the throes of political turmoil in China during the 20th century. Jung Chang provides emotional, personal insight to the radical evolution of power and its effects on a ravaged nation. The author gives heart-wrenching accounts of the bound feet and heartless concubines her grandmother faced under the Imperialists. She weaves in the story of her powerful mother, at first passionate, then later disillusioned by Mao Tse Tung, leader of the Communist Party. The book continues with the author's own experiences and the struggle to find herself in the place of her people's history. "I suppressed this dread [of collective activity] because of the constant sense of guilt I had come to feel, through my education, when I was out of step with Mao. I kept telling myself that I must train my thoughts according to the new revolutionary theories and practices" (Chang 288).
Reading Wild Swans is like stepping into an animated history book. Chang conveys monumental images as the novel begins with graphic descriptions of torturous practices and only grows more intense as the transformation of the government progresses. The expanse amount of information presented in the book can be overwhelming, but once completed you are left with a strong knowledge of the social structure of China and the human relations involved in governing a nation. You come to understand the experiences of the Chinese and the motivation behind the transition from Imperialism to Communism.
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Summary: Much preferred over any mind-numbing textbook...
Review: An extremely thorough and descriptive book, I absolutely enjoyed reading Wild Swans - in retrospect. At times, the historical details and political events seemed somewhat overwhelming and excessive, but only once the book was read in its entirety was the author's intended effect fully conveyed. Ms. Chang, in putting together a significant piece of writing, managed to narrate a complete, engaging story of three generations of women who, right along with policies within China, developed and changed within a very intricate plotline. Feelings of compassion came easily when Chang vividly narrated graphic wartime scenes during the many hostile invasions of China. She gave much insight into the human psyche when exposed to huge amounts of stress - she described her father's painful breakdown in addition to her own mental anxieties during Mao Zedong's terrifying rule. Simple writing and straightforward political concepts made the reading go very quickly, so despite the book's larger size, it did not feel tedious. Overall, I found Wild Swans to be a most powerful, memorable, and even educational book. Much preferred over any mind-numbing textbook, I would recommend Wild Swans to anyone interested in China's more modern history, in life conditions under Mao Zedong, or just in need of an informative book with a colorful plot and remarkable characters.
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Summary: Wild Swans
Review: Before reading Wild Swans by Jung Chang, I did not possess any knowledge about communist China. The memoir provides the reader an in-depth analysis of the events that occurred from first-hand experience, from the perspective of a daughter telling the story of her mother and grandmother to her children. Not only is the story rich in culture and events but also Chung's style of writing and attention to detail keeps the reader enchanted for five hundred pages. Some individuals may complain about the length of the memoir, but personally I think to cut any part of it out would create a large hole in the reader's education about the atrocities of communist China. One thing I especially liked about the book was Chung's ability to make quirky quotes that stay embedded in a reader's mind since they can be applicable to other aspects of an individual's life, such as "Selfless to the point of being considered foolish" (153). Another type of quote allows a situation to be summed up in a sentence, which gives an individual who has not read the memoir a quick overview to a situation and the attitude towards that situation. "Don't cry out loud! If people here you, you will be criticized." To be criticized was serious. It meant her comrades would say she was not worthy of "being in the revolution," even a coward" (144). I suggest that everyone read this memoir, not only to expose them to what happened in communist China, but also to see the strength and determination of a family.
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Summary: Three Women, Three Lives, One China
Review: "Wild Swans", a memoir recounting China's history from the beginning of the 20th century to the late 1970's, is a work of precise historical background and detailed personal anecdotes. While Jung Chang provides a history lesson with her memoir, it is clearly the gripping stories of her grandmother, a concubine to a warlord, her mother, a mid-level communist official, and herself that comprise the centerpiece of this book. While it is a work of considerable length, the sharp eye Chang has for details relieves the book from being boring, and the stories themselves are often hard to believe to anyone except those who lived through them.
The narrative arc is found comfortably in the lives of the characters, whose sorrows and triumphs present in a microcosm the transformation of China from a country of chaos to a country of hysteria, and Chang is particularly practiced in her portrayals of political nuances of the times, writing convincingly about the harsh conditions that propelled peasants to join the Communist revolution and about the horrific purges Mao installed in his party as he grew increasingly paranoid.
Chang's writing style, while detailed and smooth, is by no means unique or particularly beautiful; her stories intrigue because of their characters and progression, not because of the words with which she tells them. The most valuable trait of the book is its authenticity, for the story, however personal, is still entwined with the political and social environment in which it occurred, and Chang renders the different China's with accuracy and authority. The rapidly changing and evolving political atmosphere of the background, coupled with the subtle changes of human emotions and aspirations, makes this book an engrossing read, for as the readers become familiar with the three daughters of China that are at the center of this century-long story, it is hard not to become involved in their complex and striking lives.
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Summary: A Moving Memoir
Review: Wild Swans, by Jung Chang, is an excellent memoir detailing the contrasting lifestyles of three generations of women in China. It effectively portrays the different experiences of life in old China, under the Kuomintang, and under the Communists. Wild Swans is an enjoyable combination of solid historical background and engaging narrative. The finished product leaves the reader with good background information on Twentieth Century China, while at the same time not boring him with a history textbook. Jung Chang's vivid descriptions create a clear image of China and the living conditions there for the reader, and he will feel as if he is right there with her. While reading this memoir, I was struck by Chang's frank openness in describing her life, and the lives of her family members. I felt as if I was the author's confidante, and she was telling me her life story, for my ears only. Chang also very effectively put her conflicting feelings into words, allowing me to see into a country I could barely imagine, and vicariously experience life there. The author's candidness about the events of the time, as well as the emotions she felt, greatly helped me to appreciate what it must have been like for the children of the "Lost Generation." The reality of life in Communist China seemed fictitious to me, as I take so many liberties for granted every day. I simply could not imagine that people actually lived like this. Wild Swans is an excellent comparison of three lives that were incredibly different. I would recommend it to anyone.
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