Adopted, the Chinese Way

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating and thought-provoking
Review: I read this book because the author is a friend of my mother-in-law's, and now I wish she were a friend of mine! This treasure gives a glimpse of a way of life now gone forever, of a unique upbringing combining two radically different cultures. Amy Tan wrote about her mother's experiences; Mrs. Church could very well have been her mother. Her descriptions of the food and their methods of preparation alone are worth the price of the book. I felt like I was sitting across the table from the author as she recounted tales of growing up in pre-WWII China, and I wanted the stories to continue. Heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, this book is a testament to human adaptability. I was sorry to see the book end, which it does a little too abruptly for my taste. But this is just a small complaint in an otherwise very worthwhile book. I don't have a lot of time to devote to reading, and this one deserves a place on my keeper list. Search it out; you won't be disappointed.