Colors of the Mountain

Colors of the Mountain (#150) is a memoir by Chinese author Da Chen.  It was recommended by one of our members for our Literary Circle discussion, and moved to this month because two of us will be leaving for a visit to China in a few weeks.  I must admit that I stalled on starting this book, convinced that I wouldn't find it interesting.  Was I wrong!

Da Chen was born in 1962 in a remote rural village in southern China.  Because his grandfather had been a landlord before Chairman Mao came to power, Chen's entire family was punished and ostracized by the communist commune.  His older brother and sisters were all forced to leave school and work as farmers.  The local authorities even tried to force Da out of the third grade.  The story of what his life was like, how he struggled to find something - anything - to excel at, the family's ups and downs, and the tales of the friends he makes along the way make for riveting reading.  How he succeeds in finding his way out to a larger world is a personal triumph.

In my sophomore year in college I vividly remember reading a text for my social studies class, Fan Chen, about a farming community during the Cultural Revolution in China.  It made quite an impression to have stuck in my mind for all these (40!) years.  I have the feeling Colors of the Mountain will have a similar impact since this book covers a period of time that I can remember.  It should be noted, though, that the classrooms I attended bore absolutely no resemblance to Da's Yellow Stone elementary school.  And I can't imagine my own  mother, who was a third grade teacher, trying to cope with students sauntering in whenever they please, or jumping in and out of a convenient window, but especially not sitting back and smoking along with her class.  Horrors!

Suffice it to say that I'm going to make sure my husband reads this book before we leave on our trip, but I have to see what happens to Da Chen next, so I'm eagerly looking forward to reading the sequel he wrote to this memoir: Sounds of the River.  Just how did he make it to New York City and a scholarship to Columbia Law School?   I promise you'll find Colors of the Mountain book a terrific ride!