Critical Praise

"Fascinating reading…unfolds with honesty, humor, and a quiet dignity. This book has wide appeal, for it concerns not only a dancer’s coming of age in a turbulent time but also individual strength, self-discovery, and the triumph of the human spirit."

—Library Journal

"Mix Billy Elliot with Torn Curtain and you’ll have some of the tale in very broad outline…well-paced…full of adventures."

—Kirkus Reviews

"...heartening rags-to-riches story [and] a fascinating glimpse into the history of Chinese-U.S. relations and the dissolution of the Communist ideal in the life of one fortunate individual..."

—Publishers Weekly

"[A] fascinating memoir…told simply but passionately, with subtle humor and unguarded emotion."

—The Houston Chronicle