Customer Reviews

A Leaf In The Bitter Wind

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't want to describe this marvelous book in depth since so many have done this. I wanted to have my rating recorded because I believe this is the type of secondary school reading which should be required. Our kids have no idea what the real communists are like today and what hell they put their citizens through. Before they become too complacent, they should read this real life story of a Chinese girl's existence before, during and after the Cultural Rev.
We have never lived under suppression or had even the smallest freedom removed. Ye brings to life what that existence would be like and I doubt any of us would have the courage and fortitude to endure. It's no wonder the suicide rate is so high there! I can't even empathize with her plight because I have never in all my 71 years had to experience such paranoid.
All through my reading of A Leaf in the Bitter Wind, my thoughts drifted to the total hypocracy of communism. Where is their concern for the peasant who still is no better off than pre 1940's? Why do so many officials live palatially? Why is communism so frightened of individual freedom of thought and expression? I know the answer - THEY ARE FRIGHTENED OF THE TRUTH! Scripture says "the truth will make you free" and this is still applicable to China. Living in Toronto, one cannot avoid seeing many Chinese nationals, in fact, they are now the 2nd highest ethnic group. I am only too happy we can provide them a free haven where they can think and behave like a "maple leaf in the warm embracing winds".

This was my first Chinese autobiography and I was absolutely blown away at how incredible it was, how engagingly written it was, and what an amazing survivor Ye Ting-Xing is. Witnessing her family ostracised by the government as Capitalist traitors, losing her parents at such a young age, seeing her family scattered everywhere for a great cause that no-one seemed to really understand, humiliated, tortured, - this is only the half of it. Many of us have read about people around the world living such hardships, but it's easy to forget and not to sympathise when their lives seem so far away and different to ours. But with Ye's intimated and captivating style of her life, we are drawn into her world, and walk away feeling a small part of the pain ourselves. Sometimes the best way to learn about something is through feelings. And it makes you appreciate your life's comparatively small burdens by comparison, makes you appreciate the fact that you can wash yourself with warm water every day. It's also a great eye-opener about 20th Century China - not by the history books which tell us what they want to, but by someone who was actually there, directly affected by it. Brilliant reading absolutely recommended to anyone.

Our book club just did this book, and was lucky enough to have the author attend as well. This is a very good book, and does give you a great view of the cultural revolution, through the eyes of one of the millions of people who got tossed back and forth during this time.

If you're looking for book club discussion questions, here are some we used:

1. It is probably fair to say that the language used in this book is very simple and straight forward - there is no flowery prose, or desperate attempts to appeal to the readers' emotions. How do you feel about the use of simple language to describe powerful and often terrible experiences? Does it work well in this book?

2. In describing things like the one-child policy, and the advances made upon the author by her mentor and boss Lao Peng, we are given a good picture of the life of women during the cultural revolution. After reading this book, what is your overall impression of the life of a woman in communist China during and after the cultural revolution?

3. What - if any - similarities do you see between the life of a woman in China during this time period, and a woman in North America?

5. A Leaf in the Bitter Wind developed a number of characters throughout the novel. Which character were you able to relate most to, and why?

6. What - if any - lessons stand out for you in this book regarding love, family, friendship? Does the author seem to survive the cultural revolution due to the strength of personal relationships, or through her own will-power?

1. A review of the book, in a 1999 issue of Canadian Literature, describes the book as "written from a displaced intellectual consciousness". How do you think that settling into a life outside China influenced the author's perception of her home country and her life there?

5. A passage from the Quotations of Chairman Mao reads "Genuine equality between the sexes can only be realized in the process of the socialist transformation of society as a whole!". In your experience, was there any real attempt to create gender equality during the cultural revolution?

Once I picked up this book, I immediately became engrossed in Ting-Xing Ye's story. I couldn't believe it was a true story, especially with everything that happened, yet I know it to be true. I think this novel is a door opening to what happened in China those years ago. I feel it is important for the world to know what happens, not only in China, but all countries around the world. Once we have a greater knowledge of the world around, we have a better understanding of how we, ourselves are shaped.

An old proverb says: When at home, depend on your parents; when away from home, rely on your friends.

Ah Si, which means number four, was told this by a beloved teacher when she was sixteen and about to leave for a prison farm.

The author was born into a capitalist family in China. Her father was a prosperous business owner who was forced into becoming a laborer. His sudden death caused the family to take drastic steps to survive. The older children needed to find jobs to support the others. Then their mother died of cancer and the children were totally on their own.

Number 4 found herself in the middle of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. She was treated poorly because of her upbringing as a capitalist and protested with other students in Beijing. She made a brave decision to work at the prison farm in exchange for her sisters to remain in Shanghai.

Life at the prison farm was grueling and Number 4's capitalist background causes the guards to bombard her with questions. Yet Number 4's spirit and drive remain strong and she knows she has the courage to succeed.

This was a very good novel full of history about a time period that Americans may not be familiar with. I found it to be educational as well as motivating.

Reviewed by: hoopsielv

When Ting-xing Ye was born her aunt stated: "Ah Si shi ge lao lu ming" meaning that "Number Four will have a difficult life because the signs were unlucky".

It wasn't long before Ting-xing would find out how true those prophetic words would be. Her life was soon turned upside down due to China's Cultural Revolution. Ting-xing and her four siblings lost both their parents and it was shortly after that their lives changed forever. Her family's home was attacked by the Red Guard's as well as their schools. Already drowning in hunger and poverty, Ting-xing, at the age of sixteen, was sent to a prison farm far from her home. There she suffered more brutality, long hours of labour and unending meetings with Guards.

At one point Ting-xing is forced for hours upon hours to write down her sins against the Revolutionists but she hadn't made any and her captors would hear none of it. They slapped her, punched her and yelled at her for hours and hours to write something down on the paper they provided.

Ting-xing is spirited and audacious and keeps fighting to save herself in the midst of events that she had no control over.

An engaging, edge-of-your-seat read. At times you can't believe your eyes and what you're reading. To think that human beings had to endure the hardships that Ting-xing did. This is a story of bravery and survival.

In this touching and gripping story we read of the life of Ting-Xing Ye growing up during the 50's - 70's. A real page turner, you read fast just to see what horrifying thing is going to happen next. It sure makes one appreciate life in a free country. My heart bleeds for those who had to suffer.
I highly recommend. ...

I have read many memoirs by people who survived the Cultural Revolution. Ye's memoir keeps you hooked into the story of her life, giving details when necessary. You get to see the Cultural Revolution through the eyes of a child - her eyes. Also wonderful is how she is not bitter about her experiences - cautious, but not bitter. It is an excellent read that you won't be able to put down.

I think this book was really good. I noticed other reviewers complaining about the ending, but this is her life story! She can't change the ending of her life!

This book of a woman's struggle to grow up during China's Cultural Revolution is at the same time inspiring and troubling. It has made me appreciate the freedom I've enjoyed having been fortunate enough to be born in America. I devoured the book like a wind-fed prairie fire, reluctant to stop reading, even to eat or sleep. The writing is realistic and not overly emoted, the story speaks for itself. I just hope there soon will be a Part Two, including the author's beautiful daughter.