Life and Death in Shanghai

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Read... :)
Review: Nien Cheng's main goal in writing Life and Death in Shanghai was to tell her story to the world. It seems to me that she did not write it to uncover any mysteries of Communist China or gain some revenge on Mao. It is not evident that she wrote with any ulterior motives. Nien's motives are a prime example of Giovanni's great words, 'I write because I have to.' I feel she wrote Life and Death in Shanghai to get her story off her chest and to tell the word - maybe for money, maybe for sympathy, maybe for peace of mind. Regardless she told her story in a very effective way.

Life and Death in Shanghai is written in a way that is very easy to read and very entertaining. Not only does Cheng use language effectively, in a florid way that displays the events of her life, but also she includes an incredible amount of educational and informative historical background in her memoirs. From reading Life and Death in Shanghai one gets the story of a woman's struggle in Communist China under Mao's regime, and also a detailed account of the socio/political goings on of China at the time. The historical background in the book and the facts you learn from it are worth the read alone. I highly suggest reading Life and Death in Shanghai because it an incredible story mixed in with a first hand account of the turbulent times of Maoist China.

Rating:
Summary: A Riveting Memoir of Life in Communist China
Review: A poignant, captivating memoir, Life and Death in Shanghai is a book that truly encompasses the experiences a person may have encountered living in Communist China. Through the use of her personal trials and tribulations during this time, Nien Cheng gives the reader a look into the many aspects of this time period. Even though she was innocent, Cheng was a victim of the Communist government and as a class enemy she tells of her encounters with the Red Guard, life in prison, struggle meetings, interrogations, and life after prison and the death of Mao. By her proper use of historical background and integral parts of the government such as the "Little Red Book" the reader has a good sense of the political climate of the time and this is extremely important to understanding Cheng's message.

By retelling her story, Cheng tells of the how people followed Mao without question, the people were too afraid to speak out or even think for themselves. She addresses key questions that many people think about such as why were the Chinese people so ready to accept a Communist government? This memoir really addresses what she felt was the crux of the problem during this time. According to Cheng, China was not ready for this government. Therefore, the government was extremely unstable and fickle, and this eventually led to its corruptness.

Despite many severe setbacks in her life, Cheng's courage and bravery shines through each page of this memoir. She is one powerful woman that can touch the spirit of many, and her quest to tell the world of her country's struggle during this time is truly impressive.

Rating:
Summary: The sob story of a stubborn snob
Review: "Life & Death in Shanghai" has consistantly remained one of the best-selling books about Shanghai. It is fundamentally, however, a memoir rather than a "book about Shanghai", which is why it sells so well. Unfortunately, many readers will take it to be a Shanghai book or a China book, but it is misleading as such.

I realize that many have enjoyed "Life & Death in Shanghai", and even found it inspiring. That's fine. Only readers should take their inspiration with a grain of salt. I do not deny that Nien Cheng is a remarkable, formidable woman. My problem is that Nien Cheng is far too impressed with her own remarkableness, which ultimately makes it difficult to sympathise with her. I do not deny that Nien Cheng suffered greatly during the Cultural Revolution, but so did hundreds of millions others, many far, far worse than she, which makes her self-righteous sense of victimhood almost offensive.

Western in her education and sensibilities, Nien Cheng wrote "Life & Death in Shanghai" with the Western reader deliberately in mind, particularly the Western reader ignorant about China. Her preachy Christian references and repetitive Bible-thumping are clear plays for sympathy, and it feels as manipulative as a Hollywood soundtrack. Puh-lease.

Ms. Cheng's religion, I believe, advises that "Pride commeth before a fall". Yet her narrative is infused with her pride and sense of entitlement. I know Chinese who, like Nien Cheng, are remainders of the Old Shanghai elite. Even with their wealth long-gone, they are erudite, accomplished, and above all exquisitely courteous. The manners of these old scions would take my breath away if they weren't so skilled at making everyone about them feel comfortable. Yes, they have every reason to be proud, but they also had the good sense to get out of China after the Communists took over.

Nien Cheng sniffs daintily at the uncouth ways of the unwashed Chinese masses, yet she chose to return to China even as the unwashed masses were conducting a revolution against wealthy, foreign connected capitalists such as herself. Perhaps her pride clouded her judgement. There is nothing wrong with having a high opinion of oneself, particularly when merited, but it makes for tedious companionship and even more tedious reading when not tempered with an ability to self-mock. If Nien Cheng had a sense of humor about her arrogance, she may or may not have avoided her tragedy, but she definately would have written a better book.

Rating:
Summary: Memoir of Communist China
Review: From 1966 to 1976, China was plagued by Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution. Although Mao's ideology was widely accepted throughout his reign, the revolution signified the beginning of a harsh and convoluted period, when the political and economic situation eventually became uncontrollable. In Nien Cheng's riveting account of her personal experiences in revolution-torn Communist China, she quickly understands the rationale of Mao's actions, but because of her capitalistic background, the government felt that Cheng was an ideal target for the activists of the revolution. While in prison, she endured constant torture, and her survival relied solely upon her unrelenting spirit and the nostalgia for a "normal" life.
As a full-blooded Chinese, I commend Cheng for her devotion and willingness to put aside her emotions and to write her experiences in order to preserve an illustrious piece of Chinese history. This book was a pleasure to read and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a complete look at China during the era of the Cultural Revolution. This autobiography is also for those who are looking for a book concerning the strength o f the human spirit and the bonds between family and friends. Even though she was locked in a prison for six and a half years, her descriptions of the political situations are second to none and her descriptions of the revolutionaries are vivid and lucid. While this is indeed a well-written and beneficial piece of literature, one could question the integrity of her words. It seems as though Cheng has made a carbon copy of the past and is able to recite her past dialogue verbatim. However, even with these minor problems, this book is unique and enlightening, a literature gem that should be cherished by all generations alike.

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Summary: The Truth: Told Like it Was
Review: The most severe revelation the reader makes while reading Life and Death in Shanghai is that the Communist movement in China, and perhaps the socialist movements of other countries in this time period, were not measures in social equality; rather, they were ascents by the lower class to become the ruling classes. Just as in free capitalist societies without government regulations, the ruling classes (in capitalist societies, the upper classes) oppress the non-ruling classes (in capitalist societies, the disadvantaged classes). It is natural for those with resources, education and background to rule over those without. However, in a Communist system of government, the lower classes are given the unique opportunity to rule over those with greater resources.

Nien Cheng takes the reader through the Cultural Revolution of Mao Zedong's China beginning in 1966. Her story is so unique it is often ignored or dismissed by Chinese historians. As a wealthy educated widow, she describes her ordeal as the Proletariat (lower class) overwhelmed the country. She is ransacked and jailed for six years. Her tale, however, comes off not as a litany of tragic incidents, but as a calm revelation about the nature of Communism, power structures, and government systems.

Cheng chose to write her memoirs in a dry, detailed, and passionless rhetoric. This is at the same time tedious and fascinating; although the book moves slowly, the reader is permitted to come to such conclusions that can only be found objectively.

Rating:
Summary: A detailed and enjoyable read
Review: Life and Death in Shanghai is an extremely descriptive account of the Cultural Revolution that evokes many emotions from the reader as well. Nien Cheng does an excellent job presenting her story to the reader by keeping the language simple and explains everything is a way that a reader who had absolutely no knowledge about China could understand. Cheng does not hold back on the description of her life and shows the reader all the details of her life, many which seem unbelievable to the modern reader. Although Cheng's story presents the reader with mostly the facts, the language that she uses makes her story seem a bit biased. For example, her own town is almost always mellow while her oppressors perpetually appeared impatient and rude. While these representations may have some truth in them, they appear exaggerated and fabricated at times. Life and Death in Shanghai focuses on the negative effects of a communist government and tells this story through the eyes of a woman who had a unique experience. However, Cheng's story fails to focus on the common man at the time and the benefits communism may have had for these people. The story therefore gives the reader a sound foundation against the government of communist China. Although this remarkable story imposes upon the reader a somewhat strong anti-communism view, Life and Death in Shanghai is an enjoyable book to read and provides the reader with a valuable glimpse into Chinese history and culture.

Rating:
Summary: 544 Pages of Fixating Grandeur
Review: In a world revolving around quick fixes and immediate satisfaction, if this is the only five hundred page book you ever read I won't jugde you. This autobiography is a disturbingly real account of the victims behind the Chinese Cultual Revolution. The face on the cover is the face of endurance and of real struggle. When you think that you are having a bad day in your suburban life, and you are stuck in traffic in your SUV, think of Nien Cheng and her six and a half year stint in a Chinese prison created with the goal in mind of breaking down the human spirit. She embodies the real womyn role models that are thrown to the wayside in the wake of Brittany and Barbie. She tells her story with enough restaint to not leave the reader burdened but instead enlighted with the story behind the revolution. I was actually waiting at times for her to point more fingers and scream out through the pages to make sure her oppressors heard. Her life was turned over and shaken by its ankles for over six years. Her own neighbors condemed her and those around her were victimized as well simply because her government saw her as a security risk because of her ties with Brittan and America. Despite this she comes off with an air of closure. It is a fast read and you are not required to be an expert on the period to appreciate it. She provides all of the necessary elements of history to comprehend the circumstances. If you are interested in the psychological and social ingredients that lead people to enslave and torture one another you might what to pick up [different book]. This one the other hand is not a light read, but it is very interesting. I hope you enjoy Life and Death in Shanghai.

Rating:
Summary: Throughout Memoirs Hardship Through the Cultural Revolution
Review: Though tedious at time, Nein Cheng's memoirs of her life in communist China, "Life and Death in Shanghai", excells at creating empathy for the author, as well as in giving a detailed account of the situation and politics in the world in which Cheng was trapped. In her memoirs, Nein Chenge is able to extract compassion and sympathy from her readers, Rather then have readers in the scene, the book runs like a movie, with the reader looking on. In that perspective, the author used powerful descriptive language and basic emotions to have the reader relate to her situation. The draws the reader into both the tragic events that Cheng is going through and into her political views. This is a good addition because it is necessary for the success of political evolution throughout the book. Without the comprehension of politics in China the Cheng provides, a reader could easily get lost.
One of the pitfalls of "Life and Death in Shanghai" is the repetition of several scenarios. Perhaps the most overused in the book was Cheng's visits to prison hospitals. Though those events helped add to Cheng's descriptions of living conditions, they seem to be unnecessary after a time. One other negative side to her book is that Cheng seems to take somewhat if an arrogant position towards the Communists. This seems a bit presumptuous, because it seems like she sometimes got by because she was either lucky or naive.
Overall, "Life and Death in Shanghai" is an incredible book. Though it has a few flaws, they can be overlooked by the powerful message that the book sends, the persistant viewpoint it represents, and the deep impact it leaves upon any reader.

Rating:
Summary: Nien's Journey
Review: By writing this book Nien Cheng, has expanded my perception of China ten fold. Life and Death in Shanghai focuses on a woman's survival in a Chinese era filled with oppression and hypocrisy. Her writing is enticing and allows for a smooth read. This, coupled with the informative and analytical context, makes this book an impassioned experience. As Nien Cheng deals with the radical changes made to her lifestyle she remains vigilant in attempting to understand her captors' ideals. Nien Cheng's story of pain, suffering, but constant intellectual thought, is enlightening to all who have opened themselves to a new train of thought. The most distinct detail of this memoir is the odd twist of perspective Nien Cheng shows. Throughout the book she writes as if her opinion is completely objective. This makes it so that the book paints a picture, not asking the reader to hate China, but to attempt to understand it. I believe that this book teaches lessons of tolerance and persistence in dealing with an environment seeping with adversity. Reading the book turned from being a chore to a pleasure, making my mind work overtime to analyze and understand Nien Cheng's reaction to a life changing event. I recommend this book whole-heartedly, as it teaches the reader that though life may seem hectic, understanding offers a greater hold than contempt.

Rating:
Summary: Very Intense
Review: Life and Death in Shanghai is a thrilling book that depicts the trials and tribulations faced by the author Nien Cheng during the revolutionary times in Communist China. The author uses vivid imagery to depict the terror and destruction of property that people experienced. The hardships that she herself faced due to her connections in the western world were well depicted. I felt her loneliness when she was in solitary confinement. I felt her pain when she came back to a world that was totally different what she was used to. Nien Cheng did a great job in showing that strength is not always marked on the physical scale but also on the mental one. She taught an important lesson as to how knowledge can be used against an enemy. Nien Cheng was very clever with the words that came out of her mouth and was able to prove that the brain is the biggest muscle of all. Nien Cheng also demonstrated incredible courage through times that many people just gave up and even went on to kill themselves. Because she actually stuck to her ideals, Nien Cheng was rewarded for her bravery and nationality unlike those who lied and were later punished. Ever since I read the book, I have a greater appreciation for the good times that I am living in right now. The people are free and are not forced to do anything that they do not want to unlike those in the book. A rainy day definitely sets the mood for this excellent book.