Some years ago, I read the very moving account of Adeline Yen Mah’s life story entitled, Falling Leaves. This 1997 autobiography is a compelling, painful, and ultimately triumphant story of a girl's very challenging journey into adulthood. With a powerful voice that speaks of the harsh realities of growing up in a family and society which discriminated against her, Falling Leaves is a work of tremendous power which provides a rare insight into twentieth-century China.

Following the success of this critically acclaimed adult bestseller and drawing on the extremely difficult childhood described in the early part of Falling Leaves, the author composed a second book entitled Chinese Cinderella, published two years later in 1999. This memoir, which is a very moving retelling of the classic Cinderella story, with Adeline Yen Mah providing her own courageous voice, is a very popular book with our Year 7 readers. Students are often amazed at the suffering experienced by the young Adeline whose only desire was to be loved and understood by her parents and siblings. Although harrowing, Chinese Cinderella is ultimately an uplifting account of the human capacity to endure hardship and pain.

The following words from Adeline Yen Mah capture the significance of her writing:

I have always cherished this dream of creating something unique and imperishable, so that the past should not fade away forever. I know that one day I will die and vanish into the void but hope to preserve my memories through my writing. Perhaps others who were also unwanted may see them a hundred years from now and be encouraged. I imagine them opening the pages of my book and meeting me (as a ten-year-old) in Shanghai, without actually having left their own homes in Sydney, Tokyo, London, Hong Kong or Los Angeles. And I shall welcome each and every one of them with a smile and say, ‘How splendid of you to visit me! Come in and let me share with you my story … because I understand only too well the rankling in your heart and what you are going through.

Clare Murphy

English Coordinator and Literacy Instructional Coach