This is the story of four Chinese families that centers on the Mothers and Daughters in each unit. It reminds you that you come from somewhere and the influences of culture and family and situations makes each of us who we are. It also speaks volumes to the fact that Mothers are human beings, and definitely worth getting to know better.

The writing is wonderful! Amy Tan is very witty and engaging. She creates very vivid pictures with her words. This is an amazingly real tale that I highly recommend. No wonder it spent 9 months on the NY Times Bestseller List! The only drawback is that I would have preferred to read in trade paperback format.