The Cooked Seed

The Cooked Seed (2013) by Anchee Min. Min's story is improbable but apparently true. In 1984, she managed to emigrate from Red China to the United States, and hanging on by her fingernails, succeeds in learning English and becoming a best-selling author. She is constantly in fear of being deported back to China because she doesn't speak English well enough, and she really has no plan except to stay in the United States and somehow make a life for herself. Conditions in China are revealed to be surprisingly bad, and she makes us understand her desperation to escape. This is a well written book, which constantly surprises the reader with its honesty and insights. I read it compulsively and didn't want it to end, although I did want to see her attain her objectives, which eventually she does. It's quite an inspiring book. Grade: B+