From One Root Many Flowers: A Century of Family Life in China and America

Rating:
Summary: A Treasure Chest of Stories
Review: I found Li's memoir engrossing, informative, and quite frequently very moving. I disagree with the comment that Li seemed a dispassionate observer; on the contrary, Li's feelings and unique perspective permeate the piece as she tells her family's multi-generational history. This is one of the great charms of the book; Li gives us a treasure chest of stories as she speaks candidly about her family's struggles, sacrifices, and courage in the face of wartime danger and personal tragedy. Li's love and filial respect for her parents, her complex and passionate feelings toward an evolving China, and her commitment to public service spoke poignantly to this reader. As an added bonus, Li illustrates and explains certain aspects of Chinese culture, thus enabling this reader to learn more about China within the context of the histories Li relates.

Rating:
Summary: a fascinating personal and historical account
Review: Normally I find the Publisher's Weekly reviews quite helpful, but I couldn't disagree more with this one. I found this book to be delightful! Admittedly, it's not without its idiosyncrasies: a lot of territory is covered, and you do at times wish for more details on some of the stories. I could almost imagine hearing her tell the stories around a dinner table, and found myself wishing I could be there to ask questions. But to me, that's part of its fascination. "From One Root Many Flowers" is really an oral history put to the pen, walking the line between objective historical chronicle, family lore, and personal reminiscence. Its stories are very much filtered through the lens of the author's personal experience, perspective, perhaps even biases. In a way, we get to know the author herself through the stories she chose to share.
I seriously disagree with the reviewer's assertion that the book makes Li seem like a dispassionate observer. To me, the author's passion and emotional attachment to the material is evident throughout. Whether relating a personal experience or passing on stories from her parents, this is clearly very affecting stuff for her, and as I reader I found myself very caught up in it.
At its simplest level, "From One Root Many Flowers" is a rich tale of a family's journey through wars and political upheaval in China through the American immigrant experience. At a more subtle level, the book offers interesting insights on many aspects of social history in two countries, including gender roles and race relations. A terrific read and well worth your time.

Rating:
Summary: One Root, Many Flowers
Review: Virginia Li's ONE ROOT, MANY FLOWERS depicts Chinese society to the depth that is possible only for a cultural insider. This book is a fascinating account of her family history in China--from the last decades of 19th century up to 1948, when the author left for America as a teenager.

Li's portrayal of her father, the legendary KMT general and a national hero in modern Chinese military history, is a deeply-felt profile. General Li Hanhun was a passionate idealist, a complex political figure, and loving family man. Virginia Li's book, for those interested in modern Chinese history and U.S.-China relations, will be seized upon with great eagerness and genuine intellectual excitement.