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lindsayharmon 's review for:
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
by Amy Chua
Like most people, I became interested in this book because of the controversy surrounding it; Chua has been portrayed in the media as an unapologetically harsh, demanding parent who is determined to force her children to excel at all costs. So I was a little surprised when I had the book at my hands and read the front cover text, which states "This is a story about a mother, two daughters, and two dogs. This was supposed to be a story of how Chinese parents are better at raising kids than Western ones. But instead, it's about a bitter clash of cultures, a fleeting taste of glory, and how I was humbled by a thirteen-year-old."
I'm not sure if the publicists weren't talking to the book designers, or if the cover is an attempt to reel in people who are attracted by the hype but don't want to read a book that makes them feel like a lazy Western parent.
Based on the above, I hope it's not a spoiler to say that while the first three-fourths or so are a treatise on the superiority of so-called Chinese parenthood (including the much-publicized tactics of calling your kids garbage, making them practice musical instruments for four hours a day, etc.) the last couple of chapters are basically an about-face wrapped up with an epilogue that's much more moderate, and full of cute quotes from her kids to underscore that they don't actually hate her for any of the above.
While I wasn't surprised that at least one of Chua's kids would rebel, the ending felt like a cop-out to me. This was a fast read, and mildly entertaining, but I didn't feel like it worked as either a parenting book or a memoir.
I'm not sure if the publicists weren't talking to the book designers, or if the cover is an attempt to reel in people who are attracted by the hype but don't want to read a book that makes them feel like a lazy Western parent.
Based on the above, I hope it's not a spoiler to say that while the first three-fourths or so are a treatise on the superiority of so-called Chinese parenthood (including the much-publicized tactics of calling your kids garbage, making them practice musical instruments for four hours a day, etc.) the last couple of chapters are basically an about-face wrapped up with an epilogue that's much more moderate, and full of cute quotes from her kids to underscore that they don't actually hate her for any of the above.
While I wasn't surprised that at least one of Chua's kids would rebel, the ending felt like a cop-out to me. This was a fast read, and mildly entertaining, but I didn't feel like it worked as either a parenting book or a memoir.