Book Reviews: The Good

I've read several very good books lately and am breaking this post into the good and the bad. These are not in any order, although it seems like the better books are at the end of the post.

Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin

I ordered this book earlier this year for our library. As I've been reading a few books from the Mao era, it caught my eye. It wasn't until I'd finished reading that I realized it was a "young reader's edition." Humph. I wonder what's so different with the original book?

At the age of 11, Li was taken from his family's peasant commune to study ballet in Beijing. He had no prior experience nor desire to dance; he passed several fitness tests and was chosen by the government. After studying at the school for seven years, he became the first official exchange artist to the U.S. since Mao's 1949 takeover. Long-wary of the impoverished "capitalist American pigs" who mistreated blacks, after arriving in the country, Li was convinced that the wealth he saw was an act to impress his government.

Following a second visit in 1981, Li defected to the U.S. He is now a stockbroker in Australia. (Seriously.)

This was a very interesting read. Most of the story centers around Li's childhood and years at the ballet school. It would be totally appropriate for a middle or high schooler; I keep hoping one of my kids will pick it up, but that doesn't seem to be happening.

To Destroy You Is No Loss: The Odyssey of a Cambodian Family by Teeda Butt Mam

Teeda was the daughter of a government official in Cambodia. When the Khmer Rouge took over in 1975, Teeda and her extended family fled their city, hide their true identities, and work in rural farm camps. About one-third of the population died, mostly from execution, disease and starvation. Three years later, the Vietnamese invaded, and hundreds of thousands of people sought refuge by way of Thailand.

This book follows Teeda's family's story of incredible will and determination as they ultimately escaped Cambodia. The epilogue oh-too-briefly mentions that most of the family ended up in Silicon Valley in the 1980s.

As I grew up in the SF Bay Area in the 1960-1970s, I am ashamed to say that we usually made fun of refugees. Behind their backs, we called them names, and just generally were unwelcoming, indifferent, even hateful. As a teenager, I had no idea what others had gone through and felt that I was somehow better than they. This book was not an eye-opener to me, as I've been aware of the many struggles now for years. I wish that we'd known back then. I wish that THIS was what we'd been taught in school, current, relevant history. These people have a strength and character that I cannot possibly imagine.

This was a book that makes me think, far more than I could relate here on a keyboard.

Becoming Odyssa: Adventures of the Appalachian Trail by Jennifer Pharr Davis

This is surely my favorite book on a favorite subject. What an enjoyable read and fresh perspective offered by an inexperienced hiker and recent college grad who decides to tackle the 2175 mile long trail. In many ways, her determination and independence reminded me a lot of Holly. When I was done reading, I made Holly read this book, and she was surprised to find that she liked it too. Literally less than two miles away, we cross the trail a dozen or more times a week (it crosses our main road). There's no excuse for not braving up and walking on it one afternoon.

The Triple Agent: The Al-Qaeda Mole Who Infiltrated the CIA by Joby Warrick

Gripping, fascinating spy thriller recounting the events leading to the tragic deaths of seven CIA agents in Afghanistan two years ago by a triple/redoubled agent/suicide bomber. The story itself was enough. Combined with tidbits of U.S. surveillance and weaponry capabilities kept me reading the book at all possible opportunities. It was a little difficult to keep some of the names straight but not enough to detract from the book.

Another unforgettable read.

A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard

Jaycee Dugard was the 11 year old girl kidnapped from a bus stop in South Lake Tahoe in 1991. She was found 18 years later, still under the control of her captors.

Holly and I watched an ABC interview with Dugard earlier this year. I was struck by her poise. It continued throughout her book. It's an amazing story of a young woman with amazing courage and determination to not live in the past. Horrible subject matter, so I wouldn't recommend the book; but it was another that I couldn't put down.