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Summary: Memory of My Hometown
Review: As I was reading Colors of the Moutain, my childhood flashes before my eyes. When Chen's grandfather was brutally beaten, I saw a young girl who was beaten nearly to death in my time. The Communist practice in China was similar to the Communist practice in Cambodia--All under the savage hearts of a few men.I am deeply touched by this book. Da Chen was able to take the most heart-wrenching story and told it in a comical way. The characters in the book, particularly his friends, were so real; it was as if those individuals came out of the print and absorbed me into it.
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Summary: A Coming of Age Story of a young man
Review: THis was an easy read with a great story. It was great to learn about the political culture in China and Da Chen's educational triumph. It makes you laugh and cry and scream and cheer.
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Summary: LOVED IT
Review: I was amazed at the negative reviews of this marvellous book, and can only put it down to what one could call "ownership". In other words those who have studied Chinese history, or who lived there during the time of the biography, feel that their paper studies, or their memories, are the only valid ones. I am quite ready to believe this biography and revelled in every minute. Most unlike other popular biographies of China (Wild Swans etc ..)and a pleasure because of that. A young boy's memories, which may be skewed by time, but valid none the less. Read it with a fresh mind, and allow yourself to wallow in the memories.
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Summary: Autobiography or Incredible
Review: It seems to me that there are many holes in the "autobiography" presented by the author, Da Chen. I found them incredible.
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Summary: A fun and accessible read
Review: Something about this book caught my eye right away in the bookstore, but I differ from a number of the reviewers here in one significant way: I specifically avoided picking it up for some time because of the Chinese subject matter. I have always found Chinese authors or books about Chinese subjects to hold little interest for me. Perhaps that lack of longing for a "true" Chinese experience is why I was not disappointed, as some other reviewers were. In fact, despite the fact that none of it could have taken place without the background of the cultural revolution, I found it to transcend cultural boundaries. It is really a wonderful memoir about a boyhood. Getting into trouble, sneaking cigarettes, learning about sex, making friends and enemies at school, searching for your calling in life... and oh yes, the Cultural Revolution. I would be the last person to tell you whether the details of the memoir are historically accurate, as has concerned others so much. I can say that the history is fairly incidental to the real meat of the book. It's definitely a personal memoir, not political, and the history is seen from a child's perspective. Playground brawls are infinitely more important here than armies, and I related to it all almost as easily as if he and I had just grown up in different school districts, not different countries. Yes, I did feel like the "good guys" came out better and the "bad guys" came out worse than they probably really were. But hey, let those guys write their own books. I wasn't looking for history, I wasn't looking for the exotic, I wasn't looking for insight into my soul. Maybe that's what made me a perfect audience for this book. I didn't walk away changed, I just had a really good time reading a good story. If that's why you read books, then give this one a try.
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Summary: Isn't it a fiction???? I am bored by it.
Review: I fully agree with Lin Chen's comment in this customer reviews section. Please read Lin Chen's comments on February 28, 2000: Reviewer: Lin Chen from Cincinnati I was very impressed by the overwhelmingly positive reviews about Da Chen's memoirs (Colors of Mountain) in the national media (especially the article on News Week). I thought that finally, here comes a fresh writer from China with such passion and humility and was writing about the time our generation care deeply about. Well, I have to check it out. Indeed, his use of humor and earthy style is very effective and touching. One could not but to resonate with him at various points of his struggle and triumph. The book would be good if he did not pass it along as a memoir but as a first person fiction. My rough assessment on the contents of the memoir is as followings. There is about 20% of real-life experience that can be easily dissociated and are commendable. The rest can be divided as about 70% second hand exaggerated fantasies for the situation effects and about 10% deliberated fabrication for the sole propose of self-indulgence. Let's set a few records straight as an illustrative example. First, Da Chen is not a son of a landlord (his father is). There is only one sentence that talked about that because his grandpa is a landlord, so that his father was dismissed from his teaching job. This is hardly a true statement. I have not encounter a single instance that a teacher was dismissed solely because his/her father is a landlord. Indeed, my study of China of the same period shown that about 40 to 60% (dependent on the specific geographic location) of school teachers' fathers are landlords or worse according to the standards of the day. There must be something else he was hiding. His vivid description of his first day of schooling (the trouble with tuition) is hardly credible either. He might, indeed, hold 50 fens (equivalent of 50 cents) in his hand and that the teacher gave him the extension on tuition. But the tuition was only 3 Yuan (equivalent of 3 dollars). The education was essentially free at the time and 3 Yuan was mostly for the books etc. For example, any one of his piglets (when fatting up by the end of the year) would easily sell for 60 to 100 Yuan at the time (a princely sum, indeed), not to mention the mother pig they had all along (if only one knows the truth, all that sympathy for him would evaporate). The recollection of his association with the gang-activities is equally laughable. Without getting into the details, I just want to remind the readers that at the high of his gang association, he was only 9-10 years old (I had the sense of dislocation of time when reading his description). There must be other ways to generate the same sensation. His distaste for the Red Guards is also very strange. True, he might be turn down the first time when he applied to join the little red guards (and I don't believe that the whole class was little red guards except him, perhaps only 30% was in little red guard at first. I personally, have to apply eight times in order to join). But strangely, he did not have any memory of his second and third attempts. I'm sure he was admitted into the little Red Guard eventually. What about his joining of the real Red Guard in middle school (he probably was the first few that was admitted into that organization)? Furthermore, there is no description of his joining the Communist Young League. One might wonder what kind of selective memory he has. Then, there are many instances of bizarre alteration of historical facts that make this reviewer wonder just what he is try to present. For instance, on page 77, he quoted the lyric of a popular song at the time, but inserted the "Russian" there himself, but why? In all, this memoir should be labeled as a fiction. Even so, one should think twice before been foiled into his semi-genuine sentiment. I do not recommend this book for serious reading.
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Summary: Colors of the Mountain
Review: Although I didn't know so much about the Cultural Revolution, I found this book to be riveting. It was one of those rare moments when I savor each chapter slowly instead of rip through a book. Da Chen writes beautifully, and captivates me with his eye for detail. Comparisons to Angela's Ashes are inevitable, but really now, these are two wholly different cultures, two entirely different settings, and two sets of experiences. Chen's memoirs transported me effectively into the Cultural Revolution and its profound effects. The book is but a sliver that gives its reader a little deeper insight into a horrible period of time....
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Summary: Aren't you just tired of these memoirs?
Review: First there was the Woman Warrior, then Life and Death in Shanghai, then Wild Swans, then, Falling Leaves, then... All books about one person's experience in China during (or around the time of) the Cultural Revolution. They are all worth telling I'm sure. But let's be honest, most of us want a good story, be transported to an exotic place, and experience things that would never happen to us. Where is James Clavell when we need him?
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Summary: Disappointed
Review: I couldn't wait to read this book. I'm not new to writings about China and the period following the Cultural Revolution, but was disappointed in this work. The author's observations seemed so self-serving and calculated to garner as much sympathy as possible...overkill, in other words. In fairness, I was moved by passages near the end describing the manner in which his family pulled together in their quest for higher education. At the very least, this book should make anyone thankful for all we have in the U.S.
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Summary: moving, authentic, and beautiful
Review: da chen has written the almost perfect memoir. i say 'almost' because it is the imperfection of memory that makes this book both beautiful and authentic. 'colors of the mountain' is a courageous work, soul-baring and lovely. Mr. Chen has excavated the landscape of his past and exposed the pain and hope of a life intensely lived. his language, his insight, his secrets, all make for a moving and triumphant memoir. highly recommended.
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