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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780143038092
ISBN: 0143038095
Label: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 288
Publication Date: September 21, 2006
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Sales Rank: 8434
Studio: Penguin (Non-Classics)
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
A stunning literary achievement, The Joy Luck Club explores the tender and tenacious bond between four daughters and their mothers. The daughters know one side of their mothers, but they don't know about their earlier never-spoken of lives in China. The mothers want love and obedience from their daughters, but they don't know the gifts that the daughters keep to themselves. Heartwarming and bittersweet, this is a novel for mother, daughters, and those that love them.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Superbly moving and heartfelt
This is a powerful book about love, tragedy, and ties that bind immigrant familes. It's the story of four immigrant Chinese women and their American-born daughters. The moms arrived in San Francisco long ago as young adults, and while they love their now-adult daughters they often cannot understand them - the moms also remain reluctant to reveal parts of their tragic past in their still-beloved China. The four daughters are now in their 30's and also loving, but too Americanized to always understand their China-raised mothers. Are such sentiments universal among immigrants? We meet Lindo Jong, who'se over-bearing pride in her talented daughter Wavery creates problems. Ying-ying St. Clair left a bad husband in China, married an American out of respect but not affection, and is hurt to see her daughter Lena passively stuck in another loveless marraige. Perhaps most moving is Suyuan Woo, forced by war's circumstance to abandon baby twins in China in 1944 - if they are alive and can be located her American-born daughter Jing-mei "June" will have to meet them. This story describes the moms and the daughters, their loves, husbands, kids, careers, struggles, etc.
This powerful tale was adapted into a very good 1993 film. Many say that THE JOY LUCK CLUB is a "woman's" book, but more than a few of us guys also like it. Also highly recommended female-written books about China and family: WILD SWANS and RED CHINA BLUES.
Rating: - Beautifully written, insightful
Even though this book can get confusing trying to match daughters to their mothers, the way it was written (a series of vignettes of the different lives of both Chinese mothers and daughters from youth to today where they all seem to melt together) was really poetic and beautiful. The Joy Luck Club showcases the timeless ups and downs (mostly generationally and culturally) between mothers and daughters . I loved how she shows that no matter what the daughters do to push their mothers away and shun their (cultural) indentities, that they cannot shake them from their bones. As mother and daughter there is an undeniable connection. This book did quite a fair share of man/marriage bashing, though, which comes off as an author's personal grudge (perhaps) because it is so repetitive throughout. But bad relationships are not the center of this novel (thank goodness because that's not the only thing that can cause rifts in families). It was a great book that can be appreciated by all mothers and daughters alike.
Rating:  - good characterization - sad stories
i tried to read it years ago, but just didn't hold my interest. i tried again, and it was ok...not my style though - the mothers were portrayed as victims - but i thought they chose their own destiny in many ways through the choices they made
Rating: - Very Good
In the book "The Joy Luck Club" written by Amy Tan, there are tons of Chinese cultured explored and different peoples relationships that you get to read through. Amy Tan takes you on a journey through 8 different peoples lives and the stories they told. Each story is a little different from one another.
"The Joy Luck Club" is a very challenging read. Amy Tans writing style is very difficult to follow. Each chapter is a different story. If you pay really close attention to each story and kind of take notes they all come together in the end. It is a really good read but challenging. If you have a hard time following book this may not be a good read for you or you can just take notes to follow along.
Throughout the book you get to learn a little bit about the Chinese culture. For example in one of the chapters a character is getting married and it is an arranged marriage, the girl does not want to marry this man. Unfortunately the mother of the groom had told the bride that if the candle that is lit on both sides that represents if there marriage will last, if one of the sides blow out throughout the day of the marriage they will not last together. That is a myth that is told in Chinese culture. While I was reading this book I was sort of comparing and contrasting between American culture and Chinese culture and how much they are different. In this book Chinese mothers and American mothers all want the same thing in their daughters. They all want them to grow up and be successful. In ... Read More
Rating: - magnificent
Amy Tan is a magnificent writer, telling us stories that translate across cultures, nationalities and even ages. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
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