Book 1 Post 2
Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang is the most inspiring (and only) memoir I have ever read. It begins with five year old Qian living in China with her loving family. She described her early childhood with so much warmth and comfort. This was quickly contrasted with her life in America—working in sweatshops, facing racism, running from police officers, and starving everyday. It’s hard to believe that her life isn’t a fantasy because it's a completely different side of America that I haven’t seen. But despite her family’s struggles, they still believe in the American Dream and show nothing but admiration for Mei Guo (USA). The main motivation in Qian’s life is to attend Harvard Law School, which she eventually does. However, most people would not have achieved this goal if they were in her situation. The novel ends with an unexpected (yet expected) twist. You’ll just have to read it to understand what I mean.
The last chapter of the book had the most emotional impact on me. During Qian’s teenage and adult life, she attempts to hide her old self—the undocumented immigrant. She tried to bury herself in an attempt to feel normal. Her parents urged Qian to make a new identity, one that doesn’t include an underprivileged girl from China. It’s heartbreaking to see Qian mask herself after reading 250+ pages about her preserving through struggles. Decades later, Qian notices that the little girl escaped from her grave and moved into the shadows. She then reached out a hand to the child and asked her to come out from hiding. I think this moment signifies when the author decided to write a story about her life. And by doing so, she is proving to herself, her parents, and the reader, that they shouldn’t be ashamed of who they are.
I think I love memoirs now. Not more than my strong dislike for reading though. But it’s a step in the right direction. I thought that only fantasy books could give me the action and excitement that I crave in books. Now, the amount of sections I can browse in Barnes and Noble has increased to non-fiction! The author's tone in Beautiful Country is unlike most novels I read. I enjoy frequent comedic/sarcastic outbursts but Qian hardly writes in this style. The humor stemmed from her misunderstanding things, like nuns and burgers, when she was a kid. Also, there is some Mandarin dialogue sprinkled throughout, but you can partially understand what’s happening due to context clues. Overall, a great novel, and I will be passing it around to my friends so they have a chance to experience the life of Qian Julie Wang.
Hey Ellie,
ReplyDeleteI loved reading about your transition from not having read (and hating) memoirs to loving them! Beautiful Country sounds like a riveting and awesome book. Even from reading the blurp that you wrote, I can't believe that that was her experience of America. Just goes to show how little I know. The book sounded like an insightful and meaningful story. Great post!
Best,
Brooke
Hello Ellie,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Country sounds like a really interesting perspective about the undocumented immigrant experience. The idea of her trying to preserve her identity, to trying to mask it, to eventually reembracing it is a very cyclical process that seems like it would give good closure to the reader of her story. It's sad that she faced so much marginalization after having such a warm childhood. I hope she's enjoying life now in the same way she enjoyed childhood.
Ethan
Hey Ellie,
ReplyDeleteI also read the same memoir, really appreciate the perspective. Really cool that her reconciling with her earlier status as an undocumented illegal immigrant and coming to terms with it really resonated with you. While I was reading it I was constantly wondering what a non-Chinese person would think reading it, so I'm glad you were able to express that through your post. Glad that you're more into memoirs and reading after this!
-Leon
Hi Ellie,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed read how this memoir shifted your perspective on the genre. I also used to dislike memoirs, but I think they showcase how many fiction books can be derived from real life stories. I’m definitely adding Beautiful Country to my reading list.
Best,
Lesley
Hello Ellie,
ReplyDeleteI love your honesty about not really being the biggest fan of reading memoirs, and I'm glad that you ultimately did enjoy this book. Beautiful Country seems like an interesting read. Im starting to like memoirs as well because I like comparing and contrasting my view points with that out the author. It's also almost like a conversation that is being had.
-Angel Perez
Hi Ellie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for reviewing this book, Beautiful Country sounds like an amazing and enjoyable book. I especially loved your second paragraph and how you explained Wang's masking her past and the imagery of herself as a child coming out of the grave. It's sad to think how many people have to hide parts or all of themselves just to be accepted or stay safe and alive in society. I laughed at the last paragraph because I also share a dislike for reading (mostly denser texts like textbooks and biographies). When I do actually pick up a book, it's mainly because my curiosity about other people's lives and thoughts outweigh that.
- Francesca