CompleteMartialArts.com - To the Edge of the Sky: A Story of Love, Betrayal, Suffering, and the Strength of Human Courage
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List Price: $27.95
Our Price: $20.40
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Manufacturer: Overlook Hardcover
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Average Customer Rating: 
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 951.05092
EAN: 9781585673629
ISBN: 1585673625
Label: Overlook Hardcover
Manufacturer: Overlook Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 398
Publication Date: 2003-02
Publisher: Overlook Hardcover
Release Date: 2003-02-24
Studio: Overlook Hardcover
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Editorial Reviews:
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To the Edge of the Sky is the harrowing account of a remarkable woman's life in communist China-a tale of human courage in the face of shocking inhumanity and hardship. Anhua Gao (her name means Tranquil Flower) was born in 1949, the year that Mao Tse Tung declared the foundation of the People's Republic of China. To The Edge of the Sky is, like Jung Chang's Wild Swans, an inspiring and heartrending story of life under communist rule and, at the same time, a compelling and detailed history of China's political upheaval through the twentieth century.
Gao's early childhood is idyllic-both of her parents are highly respected workers in the Communist army and the family lives in comfort, with many privileges. By the time Anhua is eleven, however, both are dead-and their reputation proves a fragile shield from the horrors of communist China. With an assured and deliberate voice, and from the perspective of her new and hard-won safety of a new life in Britain (her mother once pointed out the island country to her on a Chinese world map, located on the far left "on the edge of the sky"), Gao interweaves a picture of calamitous Maoist policies with her own story of shocking family betrayal, cruel imprisonment, and bureaucratic absurdity. To the Edge of the Sky is a powerful and evocative autobiography-the story of a woman who, against unbelievable odds, survived to find a happiness she had not dared hope for.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Must Read!
Comment: Many books have been written about the Cultural Revolution, but this one is the best I've read. It's hard to imagine all that this woman endured and still prevailed. Was in tears after the last page.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A wonderfully written, absolutely compelling memoir
Comment: I have read many memoirs about life in China during the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward, but I found this one to be among the very best I've read. The author writes from the heart, and includes so many fascinating and sometimes horrifying details. I found most interesting watching her own inner transformation, from a model child who believed all she was told about Mao and the Chinese government, to an adult who had the courage to defy her unjust accusers without fear. I pray for her continued happiness in England.
Customer Rating:
Summary: My Review
Comment: This is an amazing story of human courage,love and devotion in the face of inhumanity. I picked up the book and couldn't stop reading until it was finished. The story of China and her life is being told through the eyes of a child right to her adult life. I also leart alot about Chinese history and the people reponsible for it and mistakes that sometimes only human can make. In short AnHua has captured the mood and feelings of the Chinese people through a totally human perspective. Great Book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Compelling Story!
Comment: This book was extremely compelling. I could not put it down! It told an amazing story of what it was like to live in China during the Communist regime and to experience such turmoil. It is a wonderful story of survival. It was a very interesting way to learn a little Chinese history. I salute the author for her command of the English language to be able to write such a compelling memoir.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Where is Hollywood when you need them!
Comment: This is an amazing storey of one person's courage and determination to survive in a world where everything is upside down. The book is perfect for people who enjoy a powerful emotional experience, and also for those with an interest in the turmoil of the recent history of China. I'm a 32 year old male student of Asian studies, and I have to admit that this storey and the way it is told turned me into a little boy, falling for its author and sometimes on the verge of tears. A great read for all!
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