Monday, December 10, 2012

A memoir of an American family's life in China


Arrington, Aminta (2012). Home is a roof over a pig: An American family's journey in China. New York, NY: The Overlook Press.

This is a memoir of an American family of five life experience in China. I was attracted by the book title, and had a high expectation of the book. Unfortunately, it turns out a disappointment to me.

First, the content contains Chinese translation does not serve any particularly purpose and some of the phrases, from my knowledge, are incorrect.

Second, I did not find the stories humorously, as Kay Bratt claimed and stated in the back cover.

Third, many chapters, as the author claims in the "note of sources" that need to perform extensive research. For instance, on page 78, the author states that "Confucianism is a religion without a deity." That is incorrect. Confucianism is NOT a religion. In Chinese culture, Confucius is an educator, an influential figure in Chinese traditional culture. Readers who do not pay attention to the ending chapter might have been misled.    

No comments:

Post a Comment