China Rich Girlfriend (Crazy Rich Asians #2) by Kevin Kwan

China Rich Girlfriend (Crazy Rich Asians #2) by Kevin Kwan -- 378 pages

On the eve of her wedding to Nicholas Young, heir to one of the greatest fortunes in Asia, Rachel should be over the moon. She has a flawless Asscher-cut diamond from JAR, a wedding dress she loves more than anything found in the salons of Paris, and a fiance willing to sacrifice his entire inheritance in order to marry her. But Rachel still mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won't be able to walk her down the aisle. Until: a shocking revelation draws Rachel into a world of Shanghai splendor beyond anything she has ever imagined. Here we meet Carlton, a Ferrari-crashing bad boy known for Prince Harry-like antics; Colette, a celebrity girlfriend chased by fevered paparazzi; and the man Rachel has spent her entire life waiting to meet: her father. Meanwhile, Singapore's It Girl, Astrid Leong, is shocked to discover that there is a downside to having a newly minted tech billionaire husband. A romp through Asia's most exclusive clubs, auction houses, and estates, China Rich Girlfriend brings us into the elite circles of Mainland China, introducing a captivating cast of characters, and offering an inside glimpse at what it's like to be gloriously, crazily, China-rich.

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
(House of Earth #1)
357 pages / 10 hrs, 57 mins

"This tells the poignant tale of a Chinese farmer and his family in old agrarian China. The humble Wang Lung glories in the soil he works, nurturing the land as it nurtures him and his family. Nearby, the nobles of the House of Hwang consider themselves above the land and its workers; but they will soon meet their own downfall.

"Hard times come upon Wang Lung and his family when flood and drought force them to seek work in the city. The working people riot, breaking into the homes of the rich and forcing them to flee. When Wang Lung shows mercy to one noble and is rewarded, he begins to rise in the world, even as the House of Hwang falls."  --from the publisher

It would seem this is an accurate commentary on life in China during this time period since it won a Pulitzer Prize.  The descriptions of culture and customs are rich and realistic.  Buck also outlines the social and emotional snares that are universal to the human race.  I don't know how I missed reading it in my school years, but I'm glad I finally took the time to experience this classic.

Saints (Boxers & Saints #2) by Gene Luen Yang

Saints (Boxers & Saints #2) by Gene Luen Yang-170 pages

This is the second and final book in the Boxers & Saints series by Gene Luen Yang. The first looked at the Boxer Rebellion from the point of view of a young male Boxer. This looked at it from the perspective of young "Saint" girl who feels she has no place in her Chinese family. She is the fourth child and a girl, so she is looked down upon. She meets Father Bey and other Christians and becomes a Christian and changes her name to Vibiana. She is killed by the young Boxer boy name Lee Bao from the first book in the series. Yang humanizes the story of the Boxer Rebellion and shows that atrocities were committed by both sides, some thinking that it was the right and justified thing to do, even though it probably wasn't. Many atrocities have been done in the name of God and against Christians over the centuries and still today. The series was interesting and sad, but I am glad to have read it.

Boxers (Boxers & Saints #1) by Gene Luen Yang

Boxers (Boxers & Saints #1) by Gene Luen Yang-325 pages

I read American Born Chinese earlier this year and noticed this on shelves a few weeks back and was immediately interested as Yang is an intriguing, thought-provoking graphic novelist. I enjoyed reading American Born Chinese and enjoyed reading this, although it is sad. I don't know a lot about the Boxer Rebellion, but this is a very personal, humanizing account of the atrocities committed on both sides of the Rebellion. I look forward to reading the second graphic novel in the series, Saints.

Regarding the Sink by Kate Klise

Regarding the Sink by Kate Klise - 134 pages

The students of Geyser Creek Middle School are back.  This time they would like Flo Waters to design them a new sink for their cafeteria.  Only one problem -- it appears Flo is missing!


This is the sequel to Regarding the Fountain.  I enjoyed this one as much as the first book.  I'm looking forward to the remaining books in the series.

The Travels of Marco Polo: The Illustrated Edition by Marco Polo

The Travels of Marco Polo: The Illustrated Edition by Marco Polo -377 pages

This classic travelogue has been enhanced with many illustrations and explanatory sidebars and footnotes. Although some of Polo's details are a bit fanciful, his account still makes for very interesting reading on the cultures of a variety of people in the Middle Ages from the eastern Mediterranean to China and southeast Asia. Polo was particularly impressed with the Mongol Khanate in China and editor Morris Rossabi, a professor of East Asian history, helps the reader with deciphering the variety of personal and geographic names used in the original text.

Cat Country, by Lao She

Cat Country: a Satirical Novel of China in the 1930s, by Lao She, 295 pages

As the subtitle explains, this book was written as a pointed attack on the author's native China in the 1930s.  The book's fictitious, unnamed main character is the only person to survive a flight to Mars.  Upon landing, he is chased by the inhabitants, whom he discovers to be human-sized cats, or cat-people.  I thought this would read like science-fiction (hello: Martians who are anthropomorphic cats?), but it is far from it.  This would appeal to those with an interest in twentieth-century China or satire.  It was kind of tough to trudge through if you don't fall into one of those camps.

Bend, Not Break, by Ping Fu

Bend, Not Break, by Ping Fu, 288 pages

Ping Fu's memoir spans from her life in China to her professional career as a naturalized American.  All I knew of Ping Fu was that she is a fairly successful entrepreneur with a computer software company.  What I did not realize was that growing up in China, she was a victim of the Cultural Revolution.  Furthermore, she was exiled from her birth country for writing an article that exposed the national secret of female infanticide.  She then moved to America, where even though she did not know what fractions were and had literally no money, she became a computer science major, started her own 3D imaging software company, and is widely recognized as an immigrant success story.  It's a pretty interesting read, even if the businesswoman-angle doesn't sound appealing.