Adeline Yen Mah

This text examines China's history through proverbs. The majority of these are drawn from the first century BC - the time of the first emperor - but their importance has survived into modern times.

Discover our collectable Puffin Clothbound Classic edition of Chinese Cinderella Puffin Clothbound Classics are stunning collectable gift editions of some of the best-loved classics in the world - including this very special 25th anniversary edition of Chinese Cinderella.Born into the world with her story already written and woven with bad luck, Adeline turns her attention to school, where she discovers that she is a talented writer, much to Father's disapproval.'Writer! You are going to starve!' But with a pen in her hand, she can't help but wonder what it would be like to be a writer - no, an author! It won't be easy, but Adeline must have the courage to rewrite her story...Collect our Puffin Clothbound Classics: 9780241444313 The Little Prince 9780241663554 The Jungle Book 9780241568811 Charlotte's Web 9780241688243 Little Women 9780241688250 Peter Pan 9780241688267 The Railway Children 9780241688236 Chinese Cinderella 9780241411216 Treasure Island 9780241411209 The Wizard of Oz 9780241655702 Watership Down 9780241663578 The Worst Witch 9780241663547 David Copperfield 9780241663561 The Neverending Story 9780241623909 Stig of the Dump 9780241623916 The Dark is Rising 9780241411162 The Secret Garden 9780241411148 Black Beauty 9780241411155 Dracula 9780241425121 Frankenstein 9780241425138 Wuthering Heights 9780241425114 Tales from Shakespeare 9780241425107 Tales of the Greek Heroes 9780241411193 A Christmas Carol 9780241621196 Grimms' Fairy Tales 9780241425145 Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales

Rediscover the A Puffin Book series and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this 25th anniversary edition of Chinese Cinderella, complete with a special introduction by Julia Eccleshare.Born into the world with her story already written and woven with bad luck, Adeline turns her attention to school, where she discovers that she is a talented writer, much to Father's disapproval.'Writer! You are going to starve!'But with a pen in her hand, she can't help but wonder what it would be like to be a writer - no, an author! It won't be easy, but Adeline must have the courage to rewrite her story. . .

Bestselling Chinese American author Adeline Yen Mah weaves her authentic accounts of life in China into an absorbing novel about a Chinese girl and her vision of a previous life. After a fall, CC is whisked away to a hospital. As she drifts in and out of consciousness, she is haunted by vivid dreams that seem strange--yet somehow familiar. Thus begins CC's emotional journey back to a privileged life lived eight hundred years ago during the Song dynasty. CC is the daughter of a wealthy and influential man, but she finds herself drawn to a poor orphan boy with a startling ability to capture the beauty of the natural world. As the relationship between these two young people deepens, the transforming power of art and romantic love comes into conflict with the immovable rules of Chinese society. This stunning fantasy adventure novel, inspired by China's most famous painting, Along the River at the Qing Ming Festival, tells the story of a friendship both tender and bold. CC's remarkable journey reminds readers that though time moves on, art and love endure.

A fascinating book about the history and culture of China.The history of China spans thousands of years. Journey through China in this fascinating and absorbing book: discover the land of dragons and emperors, and learn about the significance of its ancient dynasties. Countless tools and materials that people have used every day for centuries--paper, gunpowder, cast iron, matches, and silk, to name just a few--were first made in China. Chinese society has progressed through major changes, but lucky numbers, festivals, beliefs about colors, the practic of footbinding, the building of the Great Wall, and the larger-than-life people of China are all integral parts of this ancient civilization and still have an impact on life today. Bestselling author Adeline Yen Mah explores an extraordinary view of the great story of China over the last two millennia in this nonfiction work, which also includes black-and-white photographs.

New 25th Anniversary Edition__________'I am still haunted by Mah's memoir . . . Riveting. A marvel of memory. Poignant proof of the human will to endure' Amy Tan, bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club1940s, Shanghai. As the civil war rages on and China falls under communist rule, young Adeline lives in constant fear. Not of the war, but of her family: blamed for the death of her mother, she is rejected by her father and abused by her cruel stepmother.With the help of her aunt, Adeline escapes to the United States where she finds love, happiness and success. But will that be enough to quell a lifelong yearning for acceptance, or will she return to the family that rejected her years agoFalling Leaves Return to their Roots is both the enthralling story of a Chinese family in a time of political upheaval, and a moving account of one girl's unrelenting will to survive.__________'Falling Leaves is a terrible and riveting family history . . . It is also a story about endurance and the cost it can exact. Gripping' Daily Telegraph'An illuminating account of the destructive nature of family relationships set against a backdrop of China in change' Mail on Sunday'An act, not of vengeance or bitterness, but of catharsis' Sunday Telegraph

"A riveting memoir of a girl's painful coming-of-age in a wealthy Chinese family during the 1940s." A Chinese proverb says, "Falling leaves return to their roots." In "Chinese Cinderella," Adeline Yen Mah returns to her roots to tell the story of her painful childhood and her ultimate triumph and courage in the face of despair. Adeline's affluent, powerful family considers her bad luck after her mother dies giving birth to her. Life does not get any easier when her father remarries. She and her siblings are subjected to the disdain of her stepmother, while her stepbrother and stepsister are spoiled. Although Adeline wins prizes at school, they are not enough to compensate for what she really yearns for -- the love and understanding of her family. Following the success of the critically acclaimed adult bestseller "Falling Leaves," this memoir is a moving telling of the classic Cinderella story, with Adeline Yen Mah providing her own courageous voice. Includes 6-page photo insert. "From the Paperback edition."

More than 800,000 copies in print From the author of critically acclaimed and bestselling memoir Falling Leaves, this is a poignant and moving true account of her childhood, growing up as an unloved daughter in 1940s China. A Chinese proverb says, "Falling leaves return to their roots." In her own courageous voice, Adeline Yen Mah returns to her roots to tell the story of her painful childhood and her ultimate triumph in the face of despair. Adeline's affluent, powerful family considers her bad luck after her mother dies giving birth to her, and life does not get any easier when her father remarries. Adeline and her siblings are subjected to the disdain of her stepmother, while her stepbrother and stepsister are spoiled with gifts and attention. Although Adeline wins prizes at school, they are not enough to compensate for what she really yearns for -- the love and understanding of her family. Like the classic Cinderella story, this powerful memoir is a moving story of resilience and hope. Includes an Author's Note, a 6-page photo insert, a historical note, and the Chinese text of the original Chinese Cinderella. A PW BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR AN ALA-YALSA BEST BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS "One of the most inspiring books I have ever read." -The Guardian

Following a fall in the Shanghai market, Chinese Cinderella is whisked away to Grandma Wu's house to recover. As she lapses in and out of consciousness, she is haunted by vivid dreams that seem strange - yet somehow familiar - to her. A tale of slavery and friendship, wealth, poverty and an arranged marriage begins, as Chinese Cinderella recalls a life lived centuries before. But is it real, or all in her imagination . . .

The future belongs to you. Should anyone insult you, tell yourself this: I am a child of destiny who will unite East and West and change the world.After enduring abuse at the hands of her cruel stepmother, Chinese Cinderella (CC) seeks refuge at a martial-arts school and joins a secret dragon society.Under the guidance of Grandma Wu, CC is introduced to the exciting world of espionage as a part of the Chinese Resistance movement. And when CC and her new comrades take on a daring mission to rescue a crew of WWII American airmen, they prove that true bravery knows no age barrier.

During her lonely childhood in Shanghai, Adeline Yen Mah wrote adventure stories to escape from her terrible step-mother and cruel siblings. The characters she created often became more real to her than her own family. In Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society, Adeline tells the story of Chinese Cinderella, a young girl who, after being thrown out of her home, has no choice but to go out and seek her own destiny. Soon she meets up with a group of children, all orphaned but each from a different background, who live with an old lady called Grandma Wu. Chinese Cinderella, or CC for short, decides her future after consulting an ancient book which helps to show her the way forward. And her choice takes her on a mission to save the lives of others. Based on a true-life incident during World War II. CC and the others bravely rescue a group of American pilots whose plane crashed after a bombing raid on Japan. Although her father is looking for her, CC knows that she can never go back to live with her cruel stepmother, and now there is no turning back.

In this poignant memoir the New York Times bestselling author of Falling Leaves, Adeline Yen Mah, provides a fascinating window into the history and cultural soul of China. Combining personal reflections, rich historical insights, and proverbs handed down to her by her grandfather, Yen Mah shares the wealth of Chinese civilization with Western readers. Exploring the history behind the proverbs, she delves into the lives of the first and second emperors and the two rebel warriors who changed the course of Chinese life, adding stories from her own life to beautifully illustrate their relevance and influence today.

Adeline Yen Mah, whose autobiography, "Falling Leaves", is an international bestseller, here interweaves her own experiences with her views on Chinese thought and wisdom to create a personal guide for Western readers.

The emotionally wrenching yet ultimately uplifting memoir of a Chinese woman struggling to win the love and acceptance of her family. Born in 1937 in a port city a thousand miles north of Shanghai, Adeline Yen Mah was the youngest child of an affluent Chinese family who enjoyed rare privileges during a time of political and cultural upheaval. But wealth and position could not shield Adeline from a childhood of appalling emotional abuse at the hands of a cruel and manipulative stepmother. Determined to survive through her enduring faith in family unity, Adeline struggled for independence as she moved from Hong Kong to England and eventually to the United States to become a physician and writer. A compelling, painful, and ultimately triumphant story of a girl's journey into adulthood, Adeline's story is a testament to the most basic of human needs: acceptance, love, and understanding. With a powerful voice that speaks of the harsh realities of growing up female in a family and society that kept girls in emotional chains, Falling Leaves is a work of heartfelt intimacy and a rare authentic portrait of twentieth-century China. "Riveting. A marvel of memory. Poignant proof of the human will to endure." --Amy Tan