Lemon Drops: A Bittersweet Memoir

by Frances Chin

Lemon A Bittersweet Memoir traces the journey of author Frances Chin’s mother as she travels from China to San Francisco in 1935 as a “picture bride” in an arranged marriage. She had five daughters with the husband she barely knew and rarely saw, thus was left to raise five daughters alone in a strange new land.After the family moved to Oakland, as each of Frances’ two older sisters turned 13, they left home to live and work for rich white families as “mother’s helpers.” When Frances turned 13, she followed in their footsteps. Each time, she stands at the curb in front of her house with all her possessions in a brown paper bag—waiting for her ride to yet another home—and another job. No one is there to say goodbye or to tell her not to go. Frances kept secrets from her mom of growing up as a teenager—until now.Frances has written this book as a tribute to her beloved mother in appreciation for all of her sacrifices and hard work.

228 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2015

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice exercise in the art of memoir, even though it was a little amateur-ish and pedestrian. Children are raised and treated so differently now. I wanted to go back in time and give little Frances the help she needed so badly. It would have taken so little to make her life much better.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A touching memoir about growing up under difficult circumstances in San Francisco Chinatown and in the East Bay: a Chinese immigrant mother, five daughters (the author is the middle daughter), and a missing-in-action father. Check it out. You won't be able to put it down.