Red Azalea is Anchee Min's celebrated memoir of growing up in the last ten years of Mao's China. As a child, she was asked to publicly humiliate a teacher; at seventeen, she was sent to work at a labor collective. Forbidden to speak, dress, read, write or love as she pleased, she found a lifeline in a secret love affair with another woman. Miraculously selected for the film version of one of Madame Mao's political operas, Min's life changed overnight. Then Chairman Mao suddenly died, taking with him an entire world.

A revelatory and disturbing portrait of China, Anchee Min's memoir is exceptional for its candor, its poignancy, its courage, and for its prose that Newsweek calls "as delicate and evocative as a traditional Chinese brush painting."

It wasn't as good as I'd expected. I liked another book of hers, Pearl of China, way better. Anyway, it's now on its way to my friend in Kulim. Hope she likes it more than I did. Enjoy, Babe!

My friend returned the book but didn't journal it. Have finally found another interested reader and the book is on its way to her. Hope she enjoys the book. Happy reading!