Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution - Hardcover

Jiang, Ji-Li

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060275855 ISBN 13: 9780060275853

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1997

Synopsis

I have never doubted what I was told: "Heaven and earth are great, but greater still is the kindness of the Communist Part; father and mother are dear, but dearer still is Chairman Mao."In 1966 Ji-li Jian was 12 years old. And oustanding student and a leader of her class, she had everything: brains, ability, the admiration of her peers -- and a shining future in Chairman Mao's New China. But all that changed with the advent of the Cultural Revolution, when intelligence became a crime and a wealthy family background invited persecution or worse. For the next few years Ji-li and her family were humilated and reviled by their former friends, neighbors and colleagues and lived in constant terror of arrest. At last, with the detention of her father, Ji-li was faced with the most dreadful decision of her life: denounce him, or refuse to testify and sacrifice her future in her beloved Communist Party.Told with simplicity, innocence and grace, this unforgettable memoir gives a child's-eye view of a terrifying time in 20th-century history -- and of one family's indomitable courage under fire.

About this title

Review:

★ "Absorbing. Jiang views devastating developments with the wide-eyed innocence of youth."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

★ "Engrossing. Transcends politics and becomes the story of one little girl trying to survive."--ALA Booklist

"Ji-li's deeply moving story should be on the shelf of every person's library. Her courage in the face of adversity and her steadfast loyalty and love for her family are truly inspirational for young and old alike."--Nien Chang, author of A Life and Death in Shanghai

"I can only hope I would have shown the same decency and courage exhibited by Ji-li Jiang. Her actions remind me that, even under unbearable circumstances, one can still cling to love and justice. Above all, one can still hope for a happier tomorrow."--David Henry Hwang, playwright of M. Butterfly

"All the more powerful for the simplicity of its prose."--New York Times Book Review

★ "Heart-pounding. A page-turner. Excellent."--School Library Journal (starred review)

From the Back Cover:

Ji-li Jiang was twelve years old in 1966, the year that Chairman Mao launched the Cultural Revolution in China. An outstanding student and much-admired leader of her class, Ji-li seemed poised for a shining future. But all that changed with the advent of the Cultural Revolution, when intelligence became a crime and a wealthy family background invited persecution'or worse. For the next three years Ji-li and her family were humilated and reviled by their former friends, neighbors, and colleagues and lived in constant terror of attack. At last, with the detention of her father, Ji-li was faced with the most dreadful decision of her young life: denounce him and break with her family, or refuse to testify against him and sacrifice her future in her beloved Communist Party.

Told with simplicity, innocence, and grace, this unforgettable memoir gives a child's eye view of a terrifying time in twentieth-century history'and of one family's indomitable courage under fire.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0060275855
• ISBN 13: 9780060275853
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304