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Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account of the Tiananmen Square Incident and China Before and After
A 2019 winner of the Wishing Shelf Book Awards and a 2020 winner of the Independent Press Awards, Inconvenient Memories is a story of love and frustration in the time of the Tiananmen Protests of 1989. In 1989, Anna Wang was a lucky few who worked for a Japanese company, Canon. When Tiananmen Protests broke out, her Japanese boss, concerned with the future of Canon's first-ever assembly plant in China, sent her to Tiananmen Square to take photos for him to analyze for evidence of turning tides. The unfolding of the historical events coincided with her failed love and estranged family relationship. Her coming of age was shrouded by nubilous controversy and relentless violence, which had a lasting impact on her life choice in the following years. As Perry Link, an expert on Chinese history and a champion of democracy in China, comments, “The events of the June Fourth massacre in Beijing in 1989 were so extreme that descriptions of it tend to be emotional. Anna Wang’s story helps us to understand what an ordinary Chinese citizen’s life felt beneath all the sturm und drang of the times. The color of her descriptions brings to life a period of Chinese history that large forces seem to have pressed colorless.”
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 23, 2021
This is a memoir that covers Tiananmen Square, though that’s not the main focus of the book. Anna (Yuan) describes growing up in China. She went to college in Beijing, which has a lot of universities, and was working at Canon in Beijing during Tiananmen Square. She was a year out of school then.
Anna does a good job at portraying the culture of China before and after. There are a lot of subtleties that most people don’t see without experiencing it, and that comes through. Anna herself comes across as a flake. She never follows through on a commitment. She starts a new job or moves to a new place, even a new country, and then loses interest and eventually quits. One time she totally forgets a friend’s wedding and never calls to apologize or anything.
Anna and many of the people she talks about are manipulative, a result of living under a government full of informers where neighbors will sell each other out in a minute. The book completely skipped over her getting married and having a baby. After all the mundane stuff in the book, shouldn’t you at least mention these events? She was also wishy-washy about being married, and it wasn’t clear if she stayed married.
So elements of the book are really odd. It also suffers from lack of editing. This is not the author’s fault; many native English speakers can’t do better. But it’s a disservice by the publisher. So there are misspellings, syntax errors, punctuation errors, missing words—every possible type of error exists here.
Language: Occasional strong language
Sexual Content: Mostly implied
Violence: Beatings, not too graphic
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
Anna does a good job at portraying the culture of China before and after. There are a lot of subtleties that most people don’t see without experiencing it, and that comes through. Anna herself comes across as a flake. She never follows through on a commitment. She starts a new job or moves to a new place, even a new country, and then loses interest and eventually quits. One time she totally forgets a friend’s wedding and never calls to apologize or anything.
Anna and many of the people she talks about are manipulative, a result of living under a government full of informers where neighbors will sell each other out in a minute. The book completely skipped over her getting married and having a baby. After all the mundane stuff in the book, shouldn’t you at least mention these events? She was also wishy-washy about being married, and it wasn’t clear if she stayed married.
So elements of the book are really odd. It also suffers from lack of editing. This is not the author’s fault; many native English speakers can’t do better. But it’s a disservice by the publisher. So there are misspellings, syntax errors, punctuation errors, missing words—every possible type of error exists here.
Language: Occasional strong language
Sexual Content: Mostly implied
Violence: Beatings, not too graphic
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
December 22, 2020
This memoir was an extreme disappointment. I expressed interest in learning more about the Tiananmen massacre and was gifted this book. I was expecting a memoir from someone who was genuinely “there” for the massacre, which Wang was not, despite her repeated claims in marketing this book. What was equally disappointing was the overwhelming amount of errors in this book. Grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors absolutely plagued this book. I was shocked that any author or editor would allow something so poorly done to be published and even more shocked at the sheer volume of the mistakes. I am an avid reader and I have never seen this many mistakes in a published book before, including in drafts and arcs I have received. While I appreciate the honesty in Wang’s narrative (I initially thought it was very brave of her to write about the horrible mistakes she has made, until I realized that she didn’t see them as mistakes at all), I was not expecting to read a book from someone who so proudly portrays themselves as ignorant, uncaring and selfish (ex: missing your cousins wedding, where you were the maid of honour, to knowingly have an affair with a married man, the way she speaks about the victims and student protestors, etc.) This was the worst book that I read this year and the second worst book I have ever read in my life. I struggled for months after reading this book to understand what the purpose was in publishing this. It wasn’t informative, it wasn’t entertaining you, and she painted herself in a horrible light. It finally started to make a bit more sense when I saw Wang publicly voice support for Donald Trump in her blog on her author website. I stopped trying to make excuses for her apparent behaviour in her book (she went through a traumatic experience, lost in translation, perhaps she’s learned from her selfishness and is writing as a reflection, etc.) and accepted that not all people, regardless of the traumatic events that they’ve been through, should write a book. I would like to take the time to wish her daughter all the best and success in her career and hope she can succeed despite having a mother who supports such horrific “ideals”. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in becoming an editor and has fun spotting out 100+ (seriously) grammatical and spelling mistakes. 2/10 (should be a 1/10, but that is reserved for one specific book)
June 10, 2019
Anna Wang’s intimate, detailed and deeply personal memoir, “Inconvenient Memories” is a brilliant and breathtaking peek behind the Iron Curtain at life in China leading up to and including the Tiananmen Square Massacre. It paints a picture of the changes in that communist country after the Cultural Revolution and creation of the People’s Republic of China. As that country evolves, so does the personality and politics of the author, who we see as a progressive, assertive and fascinating individual. Detailing her many changes as a Chinese national to her eventual relocation to Canada, “Inconvenient Memories” is an eye-opening and revelatory look at China in flux and a heart-pounding account of one of the most important events in our lifetime.
Wang is a gifted writer and we get to see the seeds of change planted as she recounts growing up with her stoic and cautious grandmother, her hard-working parents and her life at Peking University, as China evolves culturally and politically. Born in 1966, Wang witnessed a myriad of dramatic and life-altering changes in China. As she tells her story, we see like never before what life was like during the tumultuous years of her life. Her attention to detail is remarkable and the author takes us along on her own life journey, sparing no crucial events.
Through stories of growing up, various essential friendships and alliances, college and work life and more, we see how Anna Wang’s own political perspective and ultimate resistance came to be. We see how she first experienced dissent and protest at Peking University and later found herself in the eye of the storm in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Her account of that protest and subsequent massacre is breathtaking and heartbreaking at the same time. Yet we also feel the empowerment the author and so many others experienced as a result of that event.
This is as close as you’ll get to the feeling of being in the middle of the historic Tiananmen Square protest and subsequent crackdown. Wang’s memories may be “inconvenient,” as the title of the book suggests, but they are a virtual history lesson at ground zero and a shattering reminder of this historic event. This is a gripping and moving memoir that will change forever the way you perceive life in China and, specifically, the Tiananmen Square Massacre. This is essential reading for anyone looking for a deeper understanding of the changes that led up to that event. It’s a memoir that you won’t be able to put down.
Wang is a gifted writer and we get to see the seeds of change planted as she recounts growing up with her stoic and cautious grandmother, her hard-working parents and her life at Peking University, as China evolves culturally and politically. Born in 1966, Wang witnessed a myriad of dramatic and life-altering changes in China. As she tells her story, we see like never before what life was like during the tumultuous years of her life. Her attention to detail is remarkable and the author takes us along on her own life journey, sparing no crucial events.
Through stories of growing up, various essential friendships and alliances, college and work life and more, we see how Anna Wang’s own political perspective and ultimate resistance came to be. We see how she first experienced dissent and protest at Peking University and later found herself in the eye of the storm in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Her account of that protest and subsequent massacre is breathtaking and heartbreaking at the same time. Yet we also feel the empowerment the author and so many others experienced as a result of that event.
This is as close as you’ll get to the feeling of being in the middle of the historic Tiananmen Square protest and subsequent crackdown. Wang’s memories may be “inconvenient,” as the title of the book suggests, but they are a virtual history lesson at ground zero and a shattering reminder of this historic event. This is a gripping and moving memoir that will change forever the way you perceive life in China and, specifically, the Tiananmen Square Massacre. This is essential reading for anyone looking for a deeper understanding of the changes that led up to that event. It’s a memoir that you won’t be able to put down.
May 28, 2019
The Tiananmen Square Massacre—it’s an event we all know, even if it’s only by name. It has played a prominent role in shaping the world’s view of the People’s Republic of China, and it produced one of the most well-known protest photos in history. But what do we really know about the massacre and the protests behind it? What was it like to live in Beijing during that time? To live there in modern times at all? Inconvenient Memories gives a very intimate account of the life of Anna Wang, a witness to the Tiananmen Square Protests, from growing up under her grandmother’s care in a run-down apartment complex to her job with Canon to dealing with the ongoing socio-political friction between China and the rest of the world.
This book is truly an eye-opener. Wang weaves a tale which is not just emotional but also funny, inspiring, and incredibly insightful. She gives us more than the story of her life; she gives us her observations, the changes she witnessed in China and the world at large which led to that life-changing event in Tiananmen Square. She lets us, the average reader, in on the little-known struggles facing immigrants in general but specifically Chinese immigrants, the identity crisis and conflict of nationality and culture associated with being diasporic. More importantly—at least, in my opinion—Wang shows us what it is like to come from a country which is so at odds with the rest of world.
While her account of protests and massacre are heart-wrenching and enlightening, what really captured my heart was Wang’s personal journey. Her abandonment by her parents, her sometimes tumultuous relationship with her grandmother, her experiences immigrating to Canada and her discussions with her daughter about being Chinese-Canadian, every detail Wang reveals about her life makes her into a complex yet relatable person. Even with the socio-cultural, political, and age differences, I felt drawn to Wang and found a little bit of myself in her, something which I am certain all readers will be able to do. She’s not just someone who witnessed and survived the turmoil at Tiananmen Square; she is a woman with a past, a family, aspirations and hopes, and a love for two activities which transcend most boundaries among first-world countries: reading and storytelling.
At its heart, Inconvenient Memories is a story about the self, about identity, and about immigration. Wang’s inconvenient memories are not just about that one event which defined modern-day China for the rest of the world; they are the inconvenient memories about how China got to that point, how the people’s desire for freedom and democracy led to those protests, how her own political views developed, and how she and her family fit into the world at large. This book isn’t a strictly historical account, so if that’s what you are looking for, you might want to pass on this. If you want an engaging, emotional read which will show you the human side of a highly-politicized country, then I highly recommend this memoir.
This book is truly an eye-opener. Wang weaves a tale which is not just emotional but also funny, inspiring, and incredibly insightful. She gives us more than the story of her life; she gives us her observations, the changes she witnessed in China and the world at large which led to that life-changing event in Tiananmen Square. She lets us, the average reader, in on the little-known struggles facing immigrants in general but specifically Chinese immigrants, the identity crisis and conflict of nationality and culture associated with being diasporic. More importantly—at least, in my opinion—Wang shows us what it is like to come from a country which is so at odds with the rest of world.
While her account of protests and massacre are heart-wrenching and enlightening, what really captured my heart was Wang’s personal journey. Her abandonment by her parents, her sometimes tumultuous relationship with her grandmother, her experiences immigrating to Canada and her discussions with her daughter about being Chinese-Canadian, every detail Wang reveals about her life makes her into a complex yet relatable person. Even with the socio-cultural, political, and age differences, I felt drawn to Wang and found a little bit of myself in her, something which I am certain all readers will be able to do. She’s not just someone who witnessed and survived the turmoil at Tiananmen Square; she is a woman with a past, a family, aspirations and hopes, and a love for two activities which transcend most boundaries among first-world countries: reading and storytelling.
At its heart, Inconvenient Memories is a story about the self, about identity, and about immigration. Wang’s inconvenient memories are not just about that one event which defined modern-day China for the rest of the world; they are the inconvenient memories about how China got to that point, how the people’s desire for freedom and democracy led to those protests, how her own political views developed, and how she and her family fit into the world at large. This book isn’t a strictly historical account, so if that’s what you are looking for, you might want to pass on this. If you want an engaging, emotional read which will show you the human side of a highly-politicized country, then I highly recommend this memoir.
May 15, 2019
“The Tiananmen Massacre wasn't quite as simple as good vs. evil, democracy vs. dictatorship.”
Anna Wang in her memoir/history book INCONVENIENT MEMOIRES offers a view of China and its impact on the world that could not come at a more important time than now. Too few understand the Chinese culture and transition from empire to the present despite the many novels and films that paint the eloquent glory of the past with the now powerful presence of the present as depicted in the spectrum that includes ‘The Last Emperor’ through ‘Crazy Rich Asians’. Anna brings insight to the various changes in her birth country China from an insider’s stance. And the result is riveting.
Not only are we allowed access to the actual tenor of the times around the summer of 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, but also bringing to that sensitively observed event the impact of Chinese culture that includes such aspects as the traditional binding of feet for women and the social order from which Anna rose. She brings honesty to us and the result is a book so rich in meaningfully related history that China becomes less inscrutable and more credible in the traits that have been shrouded in mystery.
From birth in China through the impact of the breaking with tradition and witnessing the political clime and finding love and education and work and moving to New Zealand to have her second child in a country of One Child Only rule to studying in America, moving to Canada, a return to the new China and finally settling in California, Anna has seen it all.
Her skill as a writer is strong as the following passage demonstrates: ‘The Tiananmen Massacre wasn't quite as simple as good vs. evil, democracy vs. dictatorship. It wasn’t just about the people standing up to an inhumane regime. The lines that divided the two sides were blurrier than most could or would have even known. The rich and crass Chinese new immigrants didn’t come from nowhere. They were fruit from the same tree of history. The world needed the truth to be elucidated. It should be my job. It should be the responsibility just of mine, and the one difference that I could make… After the Tiananmen Incident, political life seemed to close down as the economic sector opened up. Companies blossomed, markets expanded, and new jobs emerged for capable candidates. I could do whatever I wanted with my life as long as I wasn’t trying to overthrow the government. A thriving economy full of options made it more difficult to decide what to rebel against. For the first half of the 1990s, I lived in bewilderment, not knowing what to fight for or what to invest in. I admitted defeat and decided to go to America.’
And toward book’s end Anna states, ‘While working on this book, a question came to me again and again: Why hasn’t democracy happened in China despite its thriving economy? I hadn’t reached a satisfactory conclusion. Waiting to board my plane, I had an epiphany. It must have something to do with people leaving the country. Leaving meant giving up on changing it entirely. All the political theory I’d read had left out one important variable: emigration…. After the Tiananmen Massacre, no one had the guts to protest anymore. Pressure groups will never emerge. Moreover, people will never be bound together by sympathy like they once were. The Chinese will always be a huge heap of loose sand. This is the most terrible consequence of the Tiananmen Massacre. That’s why we left China in the pursuit of happiness elsewhere. But the more people leave China, the more hopeless China becomes.’
Not only is this book extraordinarily entertaining and well written, it is likely to become a significant source of China’s history and development as personally witnessed by an insightful participant. Highly Recommended on many levels.
Grady Harp
Anna Wang in her memoir/history book INCONVENIENT MEMOIRES offers a view of China and its impact on the world that could not come at a more important time than now. Too few understand the Chinese culture and transition from empire to the present despite the many novels and films that paint the eloquent glory of the past with the now powerful presence of the present as depicted in the spectrum that includes ‘The Last Emperor’ through ‘Crazy Rich Asians’. Anna brings insight to the various changes in her birth country China from an insider’s stance. And the result is riveting.
Not only are we allowed access to the actual tenor of the times around the summer of 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, but also bringing to that sensitively observed event the impact of Chinese culture that includes such aspects as the traditional binding of feet for women and the social order from which Anna rose. She brings honesty to us and the result is a book so rich in meaningfully related history that China becomes less inscrutable and more credible in the traits that have been shrouded in mystery.
From birth in China through the impact of the breaking with tradition and witnessing the political clime and finding love and education and work and moving to New Zealand to have her second child in a country of One Child Only rule to studying in America, moving to Canada, a return to the new China and finally settling in California, Anna has seen it all.
Her skill as a writer is strong as the following passage demonstrates: ‘The Tiananmen Massacre wasn't quite as simple as good vs. evil, democracy vs. dictatorship. It wasn’t just about the people standing up to an inhumane regime. The lines that divided the two sides were blurrier than most could or would have even known. The rich and crass Chinese new immigrants didn’t come from nowhere. They were fruit from the same tree of history. The world needed the truth to be elucidated. It should be my job. It should be the responsibility just of mine, and the one difference that I could make… After the Tiananmen Incident, political life seemed to close down as the economic sector opened up. Companies blossomed, markets expanded, and new jobs emerged for capable candidates. I could do whatever I wanted with my life as long as I wasn’t trying to overthrow the government. A thriving economy full of options made it more difficult to decide what to rebel against. For the first half of the 1990s, I lived in bewilderment, not knowing what to fight for or what to invest in. I admitted defeat and decided to go to America.’
And toward book’s end Anna states, ‘While working on this book, a question came to me again and again: Why hasn’t democracy happened in China despite its thriving economy? I hadn’t reached a satisfactory conclusion. Waiting to board my plane, I had an epiphany. It must have something to do with people leaving the country. Leaving meant giving up on changing it entirely. All the political theory I’d read had left out one important variable: emigration…. After the Tiananmen Massacre, no one had the guts to protest anymore. Pressure groups will never emerge. Moreover, people will never be bound together by sympathy like they once were. The Chinese will always be a huge heap of loose sand. This is the most terrible consequence of the Tiananmen Massacre. That’s why we left China in the pursuit of happiness elsewhere. But the more people leave China, the more hopeless China becomes.’
Not only is this book extraordinarily entertaining and well written, it is likely to become a significant source of China’s history and development as personally witnessed by an insightful participant. Highly Recommended on many levels.
Grady Harp
November 5, 2019
When we study those big moments of History — the revolutions, the wars, the bloodshed — sometimes it’s easy to only focus on the enormous impact they had in society as a whole.
This books does a brilliant job of reminding us that those events happened to people. Real people with dreams and hopes and sorrows who had to live through the consequences of those events. Regular people, who were just studying or going to work. Bystanders, in a way, but so completely immersed and affected by those grand moments of History.
The writing is very beautiful, very real. The picture the author paints us of her life — all the different stages of it — is so very rich! I was very much transported into her world and life and it was an amazing experience.
Definitely worth the read!
Thanks netgalley for the free copy!
This books does a brilliant job of reminding us that those events happened to people. Real people with dreams and hopes and sorrows who had to live through the consequences of those events. Regular people, who were just studying or going to work. Bystanders, in a way, but so completely immersed and affected by those grand moments of History.
The writing is very beautiful, very real. The picture the author paints us of her life — all the different stages of it — is so very rich! I was very much transported into her world and life and it was an amazing experience.
Definitely worth the read!
Thanks netgalley for the free copy!
May 17, 2019
A fascinating memoir about life in China and the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
In writing this fascinatingly informative book, the author Anna Wang has fulfilled a promise she made to herself long after the terrible massacre at Tiananmen Square, Beijing, a promise to tell her story about the events at that time.
Born in China in 1966, a few years later than myself in England, Anna has really opened my eyes through her memoir to how different life is in East Asia.
The author was abandoned by her mother into the care of her grandmother who lived in Beijing. It is through Anna’s recollections of her childhood and youth, that we discover how strict the upbringing of Chinese children is, and also what living conditions were like in the capital city during her youth. Perhaps the most eye-opening part of this whole book for me was to discover the different ‘regimes’ which Chinese people have to, and still do adhere to, and the class distinctions and restrictions imposed on its people by the government, and their policies.
It wasn’t until she was accepted into Peking University in Beijing as a microelectronics major that Anna experienced protests for the first time. The death on the 15th April 1989 of a former Communist Leader Hu Yaobang, who had worked hard to move China toward a more open political system, and had become a symbol of democratic reform caused the initial uprising in Tiananmen Square. This commenced with the students marching through the capital to Tiananmen Square. From that beginning the uprising grew, hunger strikes, and rally’s caused Premier Li Peng to impose martial law on 19th May.
Anna’s memories of these times are full of fear, with troupes roaming the street, innocent citizens shot, families decimated, and a city in lockdown. On the 4th June, 1989 the demonstration ended when Chinese troops fired on civilians and students. The true death toll has never been released…
At the time of the incident, and after, she worked as a secretary at Canon Beijing, and then went on to have a successful writing career. She has had published other books about her life and experiences, and is married to Lao Xin who she met when he was a student of literature in college. The couple have two children, and with her own vivid childhood memories, their future is paramount to her.
Throughout her extremely interesting life this determined woman, with strength and fortitude, has intermittently lived in Beijing, and also in America, New Zealand and Canada. Through her vividly detailed accounts the author gives her reader a real insight into life in China, and being Chinese. For me, an added bonus was that her recollections of her grandmother’s stories to her during childhood, gives a fascinating glimpse into early 20th century life, including the custom of foot binding.
I would highly recommend this fascinating book to anyone interested in history, memoirs, and life in China through the 20th, and into the 21st century.
In writing this fascinatingly informative book, the author Anna Wang has fulfilled a promise she made to herself long after the terrible massacre at Tiananmen Square, Beijing, a promise to tell her story about the events at that time.
Born in China in 1966, a few years later than myself in England, Anna has really opened my eyes through her memoir to how different life is in East Asia.
The author was abandoned by her mother into the care of her grandmother who lived in Beijing. It is through Anna’s recollections of her childhood and youth, that we discover how strict the upbringing of Chinese children is, and also what living conditions were like in the capital city during her youth. Perhaps the most eye-opening part of this whole book for me was to discover the different ‘regimes’ which Chinese people have to, and still do adhere to, and the class distinctions and restrictions imposed on its people by the government, and their policies.
It wasn’t until she was accepted into Peking University in Beijing as a microelectronics major that Anna experienced protests for the first time. The death on the 15th April 1989 of a former Communist Leader Hu Yaobang, who had worked hard to move China toward a more open political system, and had become a symbol of democratic reform caused the initial uprising in Tiananmen Square. This commenced with the students marching through the capital to Tiananmen Square. From that beginning the uprising grew, hunger strikes, and rally’s caused Premier Li Peng to impose martial law on 19th May.
Anna’s memories of these times are full of fear, with troupes roaming the street, innocent citizens shot, families decimated, and a city in lockdown. On the 4th June, 1989 the demonstration ended when Chinese troops fired on civilians and students. The true death toll has never been released…
At the time of the incident, and after, she worked as a secretary at Canon Beijing, and then went on to have a successful writing career. She has had published other books about her life and experiences, and is married to Lao Xin who she met when he was a student of literature in college. The couple have two children, and with her own vivid childhood memories, their future is paramount to her.
Throughout her extremely interesting life this determined woman, with strength and fortitude, has intermittently lived in Beijing, and also in America, New Zealand and Canada. Through her vividly detailed accounts the author gives her reader a real insight into life in China, and being Chinese. For me, an added bonus was that her recollections of her grandmother’s stories to her during childhood, gives a fascinating glimpse into early 20th century life, including the custom of foot binding.
I would highly recommend this fascinating book to anyone interested in history, memoirs, and life in China through the 20th, and into the 21st century.
January 21, 2020
This was really interesting. Wang tells of her experiences growing up in the care of her grandmother, attending college and working nearby Tiananmen Square. She explains the days and weeks leading up to the event and the aftermath. It is definitely told from her perspective but she does draw in information from a variety of sources to give a more detailed understanding of the events. Her feelings for China...and for her life inside and outside China...are obviously complex and layered.
It is clear that English is her second language but that didn't interrupt the flow of the narrative.
It is clear that English is her second language but that didn't interrupt the flow of the narrative.
May 20, 2019
A heart-rendering and deeply personal memoir!
We’ve all heard about the Tiananmen Square Massacre, but this book takes you into a deeper look at what was behind it, and what came after it in. INCONVENIENT MEMORIES A Personal Account of the Tiananmen Square Incident and the China Before and After is a well-written and deeply personal memoir of someone who had a unique view of her country’s turmoil. As one trying to climb China’s slippery career and social ladders, Anna Wang could both sympathize with the students, and yet fear what their desire for change could mean for her.
From her birth in China, growing up in a fascist regime that dictated how much sugar you ate as well as your sex life, Wang offers us the insider’s look from someone who was trying hard to navigate her way to the top of a country she recognized as flawed, but still deeply loved.
“Under the planned economic system of the time, there were quotas on everything, from how much steel to produce, how much cotton to mill, how many apartments to build, to how many teachers, engineers, and even writers to produce.”
Wang was left in the care of her grandmother when her parents’ job no longer offered child care. Growing up in Beijing, Want didn’t want to be an engineer, as her teachers thought she should be. Instead, she had a writer’s heart, and longed to tell stories. Strong-willed and determined to succeed, Wang follows the wave of student protests which leads to a terrifying and deeper look into a China we’ve all read about. But she gives us a unique perspective.
This is a story about immigration at its deepest core and the hard decisions that come with leaving one’s home country, as well as the strength and determination of the human spirit. Written with a daring honesty that would ban this book from publication in China, Wang succeeds in giving us a novel that is hard to put down. This is a powerful and deeply personal story of China, human rights, and the progression of a people.
Highly Recommended.
We’ve all heard about the Tiananmen Square Massacre, but this book takes you into a deeper look at what was behind it, and what came after it in. INCONVENIENT MEMORIES A Personal Account of the Tiananmen Square Incident and the China Before and After is a well-written and deeply personal memoir of someone who had a unique view of her country’s turmoil. As one trying to climb China’s slippery career and social ladders, Anna Wang could both sympathize with the students, and yet fear what their desire for change could mean for her.
From her birth in China, growing up in a fascist regime that dictated how much sugar you ate as well as your sex life, Wang offers us the insider’s look from someone who was trying hard to navigate her way to the top of a country she recognized as flawed, but still deeply loved.
“Under the planned economic system of the time, there were quotas on everything, from how much steel to produce, how much cotton to mill, how many apartments to build, to how many teachers, engineers, and even writers to produce.”
Wang was left in the care of her grandmother when her parents’ job no longer offered child care. Growing up in Beijing, Want didn’t want to be an engineer, as her teachers thought she should be. Instead, she had a writer’s heart, and longed to tell stories. Strong-willed and determined to succeed, Wang follows the wave of student protests which leads to a terrifying and deeper look into a China we’ve all read about. But she gives us a unique perspective.
This is a story about immigration at its deepest core and the hard decisions that come with leaving one’s home country, as well as the strength and determination of the human spirit. Written with a daring honesty that would ban this book from publication in China, Wang succeeds in giving us a novel that is hard to put down. This is a powerful and deeply personal story of China, human rights, and the progression of a people.
Highly Recommended.
June 3, 2019
A page turner. Very authentic and very brave. For people lived through the similar life, this book is also inspirational and brings reflections.
May 16, 2019
If you love digging into a good memoir, one that is both empowering but will leave you breathless, then Anna Wang’s deeply personal memoir is one to grab. We get to see an eye-opening look at what it’s like living in China including the time during the Tiananmen Square Massacre. We see changes in a communist country and how the country evolves during this time. This book looks at an important event in China that certainly changed many people’s lives.
We see how Anna grew up with her grandmother and parents as she weaves her tale of a tumultuous life in China. We see the journey of her life in exquisite detail which proves she is a gifted writer.
She is someone who saw the tragedies that befell in Tiananmen Square in 1989 and reading her account will not only leave you moved but it will also break your heart. This was a historic moment in China and she makes you feel like you are right in the middle of it. It’s a memoir that you will likely not be able to put down until it’s finished.
We see how Anna grew up with her grandmother and parents as she weaves her tale of a tumultuous life in China. We see the journey of her life in exquisite detail which proves she is a gifted writer.
She is someone who saw the tragedies that befell in Tiananmen Square in 1989 and reading her account will not only leave you moved but it will also break your heart. This was a historic moment in China and she makes you feel like you are right in the middle of it. It’s a memoir that you will likely not be able to put down until it’s finished.
June 8, 2020
Amongst other commemorations stymied by COVID_19, the Hong Kong Vigil commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre was cancelled this year. The cancellation of this annual vigil seems highly significant because of the protests in Hong Kong — and even more so now because China has taken advantage of worldwide attention on events in America to introduce harsh new anti-sedition laws to repress dissent in Hong Kong.
So it's timely to look at a thoughtful new coming-of-age memoir by a young Chinese woman who was present at the Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989. For most of us, knowledge about these events is sketchy, framed by the iconic image of Tank Man and the Western media's focus on the students and their campaign for democracy. We know very little about what ordinary Chinese people knew about those protests and the brutal crackdown on June 4th. This memoir fills in some of those gaps.
The early part of the book is interesting because it describes the benefits and limitations of living in a central economy managed by an authoritarian elite. Anna Wang grew up believing the slogans she was taught but occasionally found ways to circumvent rules about where she might live, study and work. Some of these limitations seem bizarre to us, and some, like the judgements passed on women with bound feet, seem cruel. (Bound feet were a symbol and evidence that couldn't be hidden, that the women had not been peasants or workers in pre-Communist China).
Anna becomes a clever young student with a rebellious streak, but what rebellion meant in China was by Western standards trivial. She found ways to get residency rights in Beijing, and she found a way to switch a university course that didn't suit her, to one that did, studying literature instead of more advantageous subjects. She lived with her grandmother instead of her parents, and she wangled her way into a job with the newly established Japanese Canon office. Her coming-of-age coincided with China's transition out of a planned economy, and she was convinced that she was on her way to joining the emerging middle-class. It also coincides with the student protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989...
The long build-up to the massacre coincides with Anna's first love affair, with a married man called Guo Yan. Guo Yan is very keen on her, but when Anna finds out about his wife she no longer trusts him, and this extends to interpreting what he says through a political lens. People are used to concealing any thoughts that might be considered subversive and many of this couple's flirtatious exchanges reveal him to be imprudent and opportunistic about what might emerge from the growing protest movement. Changes in government policy and economic reforms might have benefits but clearly caution is needed: previous changes in the social and economic order under Mao such as The Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution underwent sudden reversals, and it was literally fatal to have supported the old ideologies.
This on-off romance wears a bit thin for the reader, and the lead-up to the massacre is rather drawn out. However, what it shows is Anna's conflicted reactions to what was happening. She is curious and hopeful, but concerned about possible impacts not just on those she knows but also on China itself. She's very anxious about the students especially when they go on a hunger strike, but she's a bit cavalier about her grandmother's concern that the turmoil might reach them at home. It's also clear that people were ready to turn on each other for supporting the cause, or not. (Later, she is shocked to learn that some of her neighbours didn't want the students to escape).
Yet Anna is willing to take some risks to see what's going on. Her workplace was very close to Tiananmen Square, and her Japanese boss like many others was concerned that the protests would disrupt the company's operations. With the benefit of hindsight it seems incredibly naïve of him to send her to the Square to take photos so that they can monitor events, but that's how she became a first-hand witness to events.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2020/06/08/i...
So it's timely to look at a thoughtful new coming-of-age memoir by a young Chinese woman who was present at the Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989. For most of us, knowledge about these events is sketchy, framed by the iconic image of Tank Man and the Western media's focus on the students and their campaign for democracy. We know very little about what ordinary Chinese people knew about those protests and the brutal crackdown on June 4th. This memoir fills in some of those gaps.
The early part of the book is interesting because it describes the benefits and limitations of living in a central economy managed by an authoritarian elite. Anna Wang grew up believing the slogans she was taught but occasionally found ways to circumvent rules about where she might live, study and work. Some of these limitations seem bizarre to us, and some, like the judgements passed on women with bound feet, seem cruel. (Bound feet were a symbol and evidence that couldn't be hidden, that the women had not been peasants or workers in pre-Communist China).
Anna becomes a clever young student with a rebellious streak, but what rebellion meant in China was by Western standards trivial. She found ways to get residency rights in Beijing, and she found a way to switch a university course that didn't suit her, to one that did, studying literature instead of more advantageous subjects. She lived with her grandmother instead of her parents, and she wangled her way into a job with the newly established Japanese Canon office. Her coming-of-age coincided with China's transition out of a planned economy, and she was convinced that she was on her way to joining the emerging middle-class. It also coincides with the student protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989...
The long build-up to the massacre coincides with Anna's first love affair, with a married man called Guo Yan. Guo Yan is very keen on her, but when Anna finds out about his wife she no longer trusts him, and this extends to interpreting what he says through a political lens. People are used to concealing any thoughts that might be considered subversive and many of this couple's flirtatious exchanges reveal him to be imprudent and opportunistic about what might emerge from the growing protest movement. Changes in government policy and economic reforms might have benefits but clearly caution is needed: previous changes in the social and economic order under Mao such as The Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution underwent sudden reversals, and it was literally fatal to have supported the old ideologies.
This on-off romance wears a bit thin for the reader, and the lead-up to the massacre is rather drawn out. However, what it shows is Anna's conflicted reactions to what was happening. She is curious and hopeful, but concerned about possible impacts not just on those she knows but also on China itself. She's very anxious about the students especially when they go on a hunger strike, but she's a bit cavalier about her grandmother's concern that the turmoil might reach them at home. It's also clear that people were ready to turn on each other for supporting the cause, or not. (Later, she is shocked to learn that some of her neighbours didn't want the students to escape).
Yet Anna is willing to take some risks to see what's going on. Her workplace was very close to Tiananmen Square, and her Japanese boss like many others was concerned that the protests would disrupt the company's operations. With the benefit of hindsight it seems incredibly naïve of him to send her to the Square to take photos so that they can monitor events, but that's how she became a first-hand witness to events.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2020/06/08/i...
November 26, 2022
Inconvenient Memories is Anna Wang's personal account of her life in China as far back as 1966. Author Anna Wang begins her recollection by discussing her childhood with her grandmother. This is a coming-of-age novel in which the author takes the readers on an entertaining and fascinating journey of what it's like to live in China amid complicated war times, including the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Inconvenient Memories by Anna Wang is a nonfiction book that takes you through the author's memories.
Anna's writing abilities and capacity to recollect essential things astound me. Her capacity to remember information stood out to me, and I made a mental note to compliment her. This segment simply pieced the tale together slowly and tastefully. It gave me the impression that I was sharing her childhood with her. When President Richard Nixon visited China, I felt I sought refuge in the dark corners beside her and granny.
After reading several other autobiographies that delve deeply into the author's history and condition of living throughout their youth, I was able to observe what life was like for them in nations such as the United States, Algeria, Italy, and the United Kingdom. I was thrilled to come across this book since it is the first book I've read that provides insight into a whole other background and society. Anna did an outstanding job of clearly presenting Chinese customs and conventions. According to author Anna Wang, her Grandma inspired her talent to narrate, combining two things into a plot.
This book is both motivating and instructional. This book's words taught me a lot. For instance, foot binding. Foot binding was described in Chapter 1 under the heading "Become Hundreds of Thousands of Words." I'd never heard or read anything about it. I investigated and realized that it was some kind of Chinese foot modification. The author examines the Chinese resolution, their new movement, and the Chinese culture children are exposed to as they grow up. You will discover all of this and more if you read this book.
The title of the book is perfect. Anna describes the discomfort of the demonstration that culminated in the historical events known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Following that, there was nothing in this writing to which I could complain. Many lessons have been ingrained in my head from reading this book.
Additionally, I found no typographical or grammatical errors in this work; it was exceptionally edited. Therefore, I rate Inconvenient Memories 5 out of 5 stars.
I recommend this book to enthusiasts of historical events, memoirs, and coming-of-age books because this book captures the above-mentioned.
Anna's writing abilities and capacity to recollect essential things astound me. Her capacity to remember information stood out to me, and I made a mental note to compliment her. This segment simply pieced the tale together slowly and tastefully. It gave me the impression that I was sharing her childhood with her. When President Richard Nixon visited China, I felt I sought refuge in the dark corners beside her and granny.
After reading several other autobiographies that delve deeply into the author's history and condition of living throughout their youth, I was able to observe what life was like for them in nations such as the United States, Algeria, Italy, and the United Kingdom. I was thrilled to come across this book since it is the first book I've read that provides insight into a whole other background and society. Anna did an outstanding job of clearly presenting Chinese customs and conventions. According to author Anna Wang, her Grandma inspired her talent to narrate, combining two things into a plot.
This book is both motivating and instructional. This book's words taught me a lot. For instance, foot binding. Foot binding was described in Chapter 1 under the heading "Become Hundreds of Thousands of Words." I'd never heard or read anything about it. I investigated and realized that it was some kind of Chinese foot modification. The author examines the Chinese resolution, their new movement, and the Chinese culture children are exposed to as they grow up. You will discover all of this and more if you read this book.
The title of the book is perfect. Anna describes the discomfort of the demonstration that culminated in the historical events known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Following that, there was nothing in this writing to which I could complain. Many lessons have been ingrained in my head from reading this book.
Additionally, I found no typographical or grammatical errors in this work; it was exceptionally edited. Therefore, I rate Inconvenient Memories 5 out of 5 stars.
I recommend this book to enthusiasts of historical events, memoirs, and coming-of-age books because this book captures the above-mentioned.
August 18, 2019
Through her personal perspectives first as a young student and then as an entry-level white collar worker living in China's bustling capital in which she was both an insider and an outsider, the author recounts what she observed and experienced in these tumultuous and formative times in China's contemporary history, ---not only those unforgettable and yet forgotten months in 1989 known as the Tiananmen Incident, but also the early reform years leading up to this world-shaking tragedy and its aftermath in the 1990's when China embarked on its current path of rapid economic development and tight political control.
It is an extremely valuable reference book for those who want to learn about China in the 1980's and the 1990's. This book is not a high drama about heroes, martyrs and villains or a political treatise on the past and future of China. It is a seemingly simple personal story about the author herself and other regular folks around her who lived in a changing time. And this is actually what makes this book an unique treasure to read and to keep.
The power of this book arises from its mundanity. The subject matter of this book is a highly charged political event. Inside China, it remains a forbidden topic. Outside China, discussions within the Chinese communities of the bloody crackdown always bring about heated debates and even hurt feelings. But this book is not a piece of political literature. It is a story about ordinary Chinese citizens’ day to day lives. The author was a politically observant and yet non-political young woman caught up in the upheaval, describing what was going on around her with both passion and detachment. One can even sense a dose of cynicism in her narratives but it's a healthy dose as she never loses her moral compass. While some readers might not agree with all her observations and comments, no one will doubt her honesty and independence.
To those readers who are unfamiliar with and uninterested in that era, certain passages in the book might seem be too trivial and fastidious. However, as the author's contemporary, I find these era distinctive details fascinating. These pages vividly brought back my own memories. Her endearing personal memoir serves as an insightful chronology for my generation. I especially recommend this book to readers who were once young and lived in China during these eventful years. It will guide you to walk down that bittersweet memory lane, both emotionally and intellectually.
It is an extremely valuable reference book for those who want to learn about China in the 1980's and the 1990's. This book is not a high drama about heroes, martyrs and villains or a political treatise on the past and future of China. It is a seemingly simple personal story about the author herself and other regular folks around her who lived in a changing time. And this is actually what makes this book an unique treasure to read and to keep.
The power of this book arises from its mundanity. The subject matter of this book is a highly charged political event. Inside China, it remains a forbidden topic. Outside China, discussions within the Chinese communities of the bloody crackdown always bring about heated debates and even hurt feelings. But this book is not a piece of political literature. It is a story about ordinary Chinese citizens’ day to day lives. The author was a politically observant and yet non-political young woman caught up in the upheaval, describing what was going on around her with both passion and detachment. One can even sense a dose of cynicism in her narratives but it's a healthy dose as she never loses her moral compass. While some readers might not agree with all her observations and comments, no one will doubt her honesty and independence.
To those readers who are unfamiliar with and uninterested in that era, certain passages in the book might seem be too trivial and fastidious. However, as the author's contemporary, I find these era distinctive details fascinating. These pages vividly brought back my own memories. Her endearing personal memoir serves as an insightful chronology for my generation. I especially recommend this book to readers who were once young and lived in China during these eventful years. It will guide you to walk down that bittersweet memory lane, both emotionally and intellectually.
August 30, 2019
An excellent way of supplementing an understanding of a historical event gained from history and political books is to read memoirs and accounts of people who were actually present at such a time and place. This is certainly the case here as a large section of Anna Wang's fascinating account of her life in China and beyond is devoted to the Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989 commonly known in mainland China as the June Fourth Incident.
Living and working nearby Anna Wang presents an evocative and perceptive narration not only from a street level prospective but she also looks at the underlying political and social economic factors that caused the protests. China at that time was undergoing huge economic changes as it moved from a state controlled to a more hybrid market economy. There was a fear of this together with a demand for more political freedom which if granted would of course pose a direct threat to the all powerful Chinese Communist Party. By working at the time for Japanese company Canon who were concerned at the threat that the protests would have for their business expansion, Anna would be asked by her boss to go to Tiananmen Square on a daily basis to take photos so he could assess the situation and report back to head office in Tokyo.
As the protests increase in intensity there is a sense of foreboding, uncertainty but above all of confusion as we approach the dramatic inevitable violent crackdown by the authorities. There is much more here than just the Tiananmen Square story and you will learn what it is was like growing up and living in what was essentially (and still is) a police state.
One of the propositions that Anna Wang puts forward as to why the democracy movements has failed in China is simply due to the fact that so many writers, intellectuals and educators who would have been at the vanguard of such a movement have simply left China, some never to return. Indeed one of the central themes running through this honest account of her life is how Anna would constantly struggle with her own sense of identity and sense of belonging. If you want to look behind the headlines and gain a deeper appreciation of this increasingly important but complex country then I recommend a reading of this book.
Living and working nearby Anna Wang presents an evocative and perceptive narration not only from a street level prospective but she also looks at the underlying political and social economic factors that caused the protests. China at that time was undergoing huge economic changes as it moved from a state controlled to a more hybrid market economy. There was a fear of this together with a demand for more political freedom which if granted would of course pose a direct threat to the all powerful Chinese Communist Party. By working at the time for Japanese company Canon who were concerned at the threat that the protests would have for their business expansion, Anna would be asked by her boss to go to Tiananmen Square on a daily basis to take photos so he could assess the situation and report back to head office in Tokyo.
As the protests increase in intensity there is a sense of foreboding, uncertainty but above all of confusion as we approach the dramatic inevitable violent crackdown by the authorities. There is much more here than just the Tiananmen Square story and you will learn what it is was like growing up and living in what was essentially (and still is) a police state.
One of the propositions that Anna Wang puts forward as to why the democracy movements has failed in China is simply due to the fact that so many writers, intellectuals and educators who would have been at the vanguard of such a movement have simply left China, some never to return. Indeed one of the central themes running through this honest account of her life is how Anna would constantly struggle with her own sense of identity and sense of belonging. If you want to look behind the headlines and gain a deeper appreciation of this increasingly important but complex country then I recommend a reading of this book.
January 9, 2020
An opinion piece by Anna Wang on Newsweek.com about Hong Kong protests led me to this eye-opening and well-written first-hand account of the Tiananmen massacre. I have to say that it is an extremely relevant time to be reading this memoir, with the Hong Kong protests still raging on during the 30th anniversary year of the Tiananmen event.
This was a gem of a non-fiction piece, the most powerful account of the Tiananmen Square Protests so far. Wang hasn't stopped focusing just on the protests but allows us to have a glimpse into the aftermath. The tragedy impacted everyone involved, with the effects lasting for decades and generations. It even reaches to Wang's life as an immigrant.
Wang was born in 1966. She was raised by her grandmother, who was a woman lacking education. Still, she influenced Wang as she grew up and developed, as her ideals, beliefs, and values progressed, as she discovered the socio-economic system, the regimes, and the policies. Wang went to Peking University, where she pursued a major in Microelectronics first and changed to Chinese literature later. When the Tiananmen Protests broke out, she was working in a Japanese company. Her boss was concerned about whether politics would affect the company's investment in China, and she was then thrown into the midst of the Tiananmen Square protests to cover the updates for her employer.
This is an honest book. Wang proposes a theory in her book: The reason why democracy hasn't come to China is simply due to the fact that so many intellectuals and businessmen left China. One of the central themes running through this personal account is how she constantly struggles with her own sense of identity and sense of belonging. If you want to look behind the headlines and gain a deeper appreciation of this increasingly important but complex country then I recommend this book.
Highly recommend to lovers of memoirs, books of Chinese modern history and books about immigrants and women.
This was a gem of a non-fiction piece, the most powerful account of the Tiananmen Square Protests so far. Wang hasn't stopped focusing just on the protests but allows us to have a glimpse into the aftermath. The tragedy impacted everyone involved, with the effects lasting for decades and generations. It even reaches to Wang's life as an immigrant.
Wang was born in 1966. She was raised by her grandmother, who was a woman lacking education. Still, she influenced Wang as she grew up and developed, as her ideals, beliefs, and values progressed, as she discovered the socio-economic system, the regimes, and the policies. Wang went to Peking University, where she pursued a major in Microelectronics first and changed to Chinese literature later. When the Tiananmen Protests broke out, she was working in a Japanese company. Her boss was concerned about whether politics would affect the company's investment in China, and she was then thrown into the midst of the Tiananmen Square protests to cover the updates for her employer.
This is an honest book. Wang proposes a theory in her book: The reason why democracy hasn't come to China is simply due to the fact that so many intellectuals and businessmen left China. One of the central themes running through this personal account is how she constantly struggles with her own sense of identity and sense of belonging. If you want to look behind the headlines and gain a deeper appreciation of this increasingly important but complex country then I recommend this book.
Highly recommend to lovers of memoirs, books of Chinese modern history and books about immigrants and women.
May 19, 2020
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account of the Tiananmen Square Incident and the China Before and After
Author: Anna Wang
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 17
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 17 readers:
16 would read another book by this author.
17 thought the cover was good or excellent.
17 felt it was easy to follow.
17 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘subject knowledge’.
17 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
17 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘This is as political as it is personal. The author has a clever eye for what matters, offering the reader an intimate analysis of the event and what happened after.’ Male reader, aged 42
‘China’s human rights record is terrible. Everybody in the free world knows that. But a book of this sort really highlights the mentality of Chinese officialdom. Superbly written, this is an eye opener for anybody who wants to understand (at ground level) the terrible happenings of 1989.’ Female reader, aged 62
‘The author is incredibly insightful, offering the reader an easy to follow analysis of the happenings in Tiananmen Square.’ Female reader, aged 76
‘This is a fascinating read. You finish the book understanding the Chinese - and the Chinese government – that little bit better. Anybody interested in the history of this country should read this.’ Male reader, aged 50
To Sum It Up:
‘A very personal and revealing look at the Tiananmen Protests of 1989. A GOLD MEDAL WINNER and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account of the Tiananmen Square Incident and the China Before and After
Author: Anna Wang
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 17
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 17 readers:
16 would read another book by this author.
17 thought the cover was good or excellent.
17 felt it was easy to follow.
17 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘subject knowledge’.
17 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
17 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘This is as political as it is personal. The author has a clever eye for what matters, offering the reader an intimate analysis of the event and what happened after.’ Male reader, aged 42
‘China’s human rights record is terrible. Everybody in the free world knows that. But a book of this sort really highlights the mentality of Chinese officialdom. Superbly written, this is an eye opener for anybody who wants to understand (at ground level) the terrible happenings of 1989.’ Female reader, aged 62
‘The author is incredibly insightful, offering the reader an easy to follow analysis of the happenings in Tiananmen Square.’ Female reader, aged 76
‘This is a fascinating read. You finish the book understanding the Chinese - and the Chinese government – that little bit better. Anybody interested in the history of this country should read this.’ Male reader, aged 50
To Sum It Up:
‘A very personal and revealing look at the Tiananmen Protests of 1989. A GOLD MEDAL WINNER and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
February 8, 2020
Inconvenient Memories
A Personal Account
of the Tiananmen Square Incident
and the China Before and After
by Anna Wang
Purple Pegasus
Biographies & Memoirs ,
History
Pub Date 15 May 2019
I am reviewing a copy of Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account of the Tianamen Square Incident through Purple Peagasus and Netgalley:
I was not quite twelve when the events of Tiananmen square took place, I'd watch them unfold on the news programs, probably not thinkinking much of it, because it seemed like a world away from my home in Northern California, but as I grew older I started to get a better idea that they were fighting for something important, something that we took for granted.
In 1989 Anna Wang was coming of age amidst the Tianamen Square Protests. She was one of the lucky ones because she was working for Cannon, at the time, everyday she would have to travel between her Grandmothers commune style apartment, that was falling apart, to an extravagant office just steps from Tianamen square. Traveling Bejing's buses that were always overcrowded where the social and economic equalities were laid out before her eyes.
Anna Wang was sent to Tianamen square on a daily basis because her Japanese boss worried how these protests would effect his business, she would take pictures so her boss could analyze the situation in Tianamen square.
Told from the perspective of a woman from China'emerging middle class Inconvenient Memories is an eye opening story of the events that took place in Tianamen Square in 1989.
I give Inconvenient Memories five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
A Personal Account
of the Tiananmen Square Incident
and the China Before and After
by Anna Wang
Purple Pegasus
Biographies & Memoirs ,
History
Pub Date 15 May 2019
I am reviewing a copy of Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account of the Tianamen Square Incident through Purple Peagasus and Netgalley:
I was not quite twelve when the events of Tiananmen square took place, I'd watch them unfold on the news programs, probably not thinkinking much of it, because it seemed like a world away from my home in Northern California, but as I grew older I started to get a better idea that they were fighting for something important, something that we took for granted.
In 1989 Anna Wang was coming of age amidst the Tianamen Square Protests. She was one of the lucky ones because she was working for Cannon, at the time, everyday she would have to travel between her Grandmothers commune style apartment, that was falling apart, to an extravagant office just steps from Tianamen square. Traveling Bejing's buses that were always overcrowded where the social and economic equalities were laid out before her eyes.
Anna Wang was sent to Tianamen square on a daily basis because her Japanese boss worried how these protests would effect his business, she would take pictures so her boss could analyze the situation in Tianamen square.
Told from the perspective of a woman from China'emerging middle class Inconvenient Memories is an eye opening story of the events that took place in Tianamen Square in 1989.
I give Inconvenient Memories five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
December 15, 2019
3.5/5
A memoir focusing on a more recent (30th anniversary) event in Chinese history; the Tiananmen massacre. As far as America’s involvement was concerned with this occurrence, sanctions were imposed, but it was far more tragic. Hunger strikes, ruthless military personnel, and hostile business practices from close international partners affecting the marked are some of the overall consequences mentioned here.
Anna Wang, a former citizen of the People’s Republic of China, played many roles in Tiananmen-daughter, granddaughter, and Cannon employee to name a few, and this is her story. She meshes up the usual details included in many memoirs of this subject including national history, politics, and her personal family life. These details were enticing, and Anna provides an interesting narrative at times, using intimate Chinese literature and art references that parallels the overall tone of Tiananmen.
As I stated earlier, Anna has many roles in this, and at times they become puzzling. She is strong, courageous, and caring, but was she an observer, sympathizer, or supporter of the cause? She has all of the facts, but doesn’t reveal how impactful they were. Readers gather some sentimental value in the preface, when Anna reminisces about an event with Canadian customs, but it this emotional force doesn’t transition with her memories of China.
Still worth checking out. Thanks to NetGalley for the downloadable ebook. Here is my honest review.
A memoir focusing on a more recent (30th anniversary) event in Chinese history; the Tiananmen massacre. As far as America’s involvement was concerned with this occurrence, sanctions were imposed, but it was far more tragic. Hunger strikes, ruthless military personnel, and hostile business practices from close international partners affecting the marked are some of the overall consequences mentioned here.
Anna Wang, a former citizen of the People’s Republic of China, played many roles in Tiananmen-daughter, granddaughter, and Cannon employee to name a few, and this is her story. She meshes up the usual details included in many memoirs of this subject including national history, politics, and her personal family life. These details were enticing, and Anna provides an interesting narrative at times, using intimate Chinese literature and art references that parallels the overall tone of Tiananmen.
As I stated earlier, Anna has many roles in this, and at times they become puzzling. She is strong, courageous, and caring, but was she an observer, sympathizer, or supporter of the cause? She has all of the facts, but doesn’t reveal how impactful they were. Readers gather some sentimental value in the preface, when Anna reminisces about an event with Canadian customs, but it this emotional force doesn’t transition with her memories of China.
Still worth checking out. Thanks to NetGalley for the downloadable ebook. Here is my honest review.
July 30, 2023
Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account Of The Tiananmen Square Incident And The China Before And After, by Anna Wang, is a documentary-style account of the passion and exasperation during the Tiananmen protests. This is also the true story of Anna, who was sent to observe and photograph the protests and examine any proof of impending trouble. Along with the explosive protests, Anna finds her failed love life and estranged family relationships are emotionally tumultuous. By writing her first-hand account, Anna helps readers to comprehend not only the endless effect the relentless violence had on her life but also how this violence affected her life choices for years to come. As a reader, I grasped what a Chinese girl’s life was like under strict control during this time, dealing with the contention between China and the world.
Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account Of The Tiananmen Square Incident And The China Before And After, by Anna Wang, deserves more than a five-star rating. This book, while emotionally compelling, was sprinkled with hope, humor, and inspiration. This is a book everyone should read.
Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account Of The Tiananmen Square Incident And The China Before And After, by Anna Wang, deserves more than a five-star rating. This book, while emotionally compelling, was sprinkled with hope, humor, and inspiration. This is a book everyone should read.
October 2, 2019
We all remember the event that was the Tiananmen Square Massacre, the rhetoric, denials and stoic face of the Chinese government; but what do we really know about the events that led up to this watershed moment in Chinese history. The author provides an interesting, intimate and revealing insight behind China’s Iron Curtain into the student life at the time in and around the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Wang offers us the insider’s look from someone who was trying hard to navigate her way to the top of a country she recognized as flawed, but still deeply loved. Her struggles with impact of the breaking with tradition, how the people’s desire for freedom and democracy led to those protests, how her own political views developed, and how she and her family fit into the world at large.
This is a powerful and deeply personal story of China, human rights, and the progression of a people. It’s a fascinating and engaging memoir that you won’t be able to put down.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for and ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This is a powerful and deeply personal story of China, human rights, and the progression of a people. It’s a fascinating and engaging memoir that you won’t be able to put down.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for and ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.
April 29, 2020
A remarkably honest and open memoir about growing up in China and coming of age during the 1989 Tiananmen protests. Although the author did not take part in them she was aware of the brutality with which they were put down. What I found fascinating about this memoir was that it gave a portrait of a woman moving into the middle class. So many Chinese memoirs concentrate on the poverty in the countryside, the hardships of surviving in a rural environment, whereas this one is about someone who went to University, who gained employment with foreign companies, who witnessed the growth of international trade, and who later on lived, studied and worked abroad. Some of her behaviour and decision-making might seem alien to a western readership, but what I gained from the book was a deeper understanding of what life in China was like for ordinary, but not necessarily underprivileged, people during this turbulent time, and how their decision making was informed by the growth of China as an economic powerhouse. A very readable and compelling autobiography.
July 26, 2023
"Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account of the Tiananmen Square Incident and China Before and After" by Anna Wang Yuan is a poignant and eye-opening memoir that delves into the depths of love, frustration, and the tumultuous events of the Tiananmen Protests of 1989. Anna Wang's personal narrative provides a unique perspective on a pivotal moment in Chinese history, offering readers a glimpse into the emotional toll it took on ordinary citizens. Her story is both heart-wrenching and illuminating, shedding light on the human impact of such monumental events. Wang's vivid descriptions transport readers back in time, making the historical period come alive with colorful and emotional intensity. This compelling account is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of China's past and its lasting repercussions on the lives of its people.
July 29, 2023
I was fascinated with reading “Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account of the Tiananmen Square Incident and China Before and After” by Anna Wang Yuan. I saw this news on TV when I was younger and in a way gave me an insight on the situation in China at that time. Little did I know there are other things that I didn't catch during the newscast, it's the story of the ordinary people living in China at that time and how it affected their lives. Anna’s story is illuminating and a little intimate which gives us the readers a way to feel what she felt and see what she saw. The way her story unfolded together with some events in the history of China made me feel like I was her friend during those times. She wrote a very memorable book which is now making me think about how this event affected other Chinese men and women.
July 30, 2023
"Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account of the Tiananmen Square Incident and China Before and After" by Anna Wang Yuan proved to be an immensely poignant and valuable read. The combination of an intimate and personal narrative about the Tiananmen Square Incident, along with the author's experiences related to her love life and family issues, provides a unique and emotional perspective on a historically significant event.
Through her own experiences, the author managed to connect me with the emotions and challenges she faced during those dangerous and tumultuous times. Undoubtedly, it is a reading I recommend to all those interested in gaining a more authentic insight into those historical moments and their emotional and social implications through the personal lens of someone who was there.
Through her own experiences, the author managed to connect me with the emotions and challenges she faced during those dangerous and tumultuous times. Undoubtedly, it is a reading I recommend to all those interested in gaining a more authentic insight into those historical moments and their emotional and social implications through the personal lens of someone who was there.
August 13, 2023
It takes a lot of skill to write a novel that uses real historical events and draws raw emotions out of the readers when they read it. This author is clearly skilled enough to do that.
As the title says, the setting is the events in China, more precisely, Tiananmen Square. Now, as someone from the Western world, I admit I have very limited knowledge of the details and the impact such an event had and continues to have, on the people who were directly affected by it. That’s why I didn’t expect this book to move me, but it did. The author is skilled with words and conveying emotions, which is clear from the start. She easily sets you in the time and the place you need to be to read this, and the descriptions and immersive atmosphere are top-notch. I have nothing but praise for this book, amazing.
As the title says, the setting is the events in China, more precisely, Tiananmen Square. Now, as someone from the Western world, I admit I have very limited knowledge of the details and the impact such an event had and continues to have, on the people who were directly affected by it. That’s why I didn’t expect this book to move me, but it did. The author is skilled with words and conveying emotions, which is clear from the start. She easily sets you in the time and the place you need to be to read this, and the descriptions and immersive atmosphere are top-notch. I have nothing but praise for this book, amazing.
July 28, 2023
A compelling story.
I didn't choose this book for its content on Chinese history, but I chose it especially because I love these books that seem like a personal diary mixed with good narrative and a complex historical context. I think it is an incredible book.
Inconvenient Memories by Anna Wang Yuan tells the story of the author herself during the Tiananmen protests of 1989, from her work and the problem in that historical context to her personal story of love and frustration, which unfolded simultaneously.
The author was able to create a great story with her moving memories that also show a dark event in Chinese history from her own perspective through a compelling narrative. I recommend it!
I didn't choose this book for its content on Chinese history, but I chose it especially because I love these books that seem like a personal diary mixed with good narrative and a complex historical context. I think it is an incredible book.
Inconvenient Memories by Anna Wang Yuan tells the story of the author herself during the Tiananmen protests of 1989, from her work and the problem in that historical context to her personal story of love and frustration, which unfolded simultaneously.
The author was able to create a great story with her moving memories that also show a dark event in Chinese history from her own perspective through a compelling narrative. I recommend it!
July 29, 2023
This narrative, written by Anna Wang Yuan, portrays a personal account of the Tiananmen protests of 1989. It delves deep into the heart of an individual whose life’s accomplishments and struggles have left a mark forever.
Written meticulously, Yuan tells us all the details with profound insight and understanding. She offers us an intimate portrait of what happened in 1989 and she provides an in-depth understanding of why these events occurred.
She, as the main protagonist of the storyline and writer, puts us in front of a skillful storytelling that shines through as she expertly unravels details.
We, as readers, certainly become engrossed in the subject and we feel a deep connection with her.
Written meticulously, Yuan tells us all the details with profound insight and understanding. She offers us an intimate portrait of what happened in 1989 and she provides an in-depth understanding of why these events occurred.
She, as the main protagonist of the storyline and writer, puts us in front of a skillful storytelling that shines through as she expertly unravels details.
We, as readers, certainly become engrossed in the subject and we feel a deep connection with her.
July 29, 2023
"Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account of the Tiananmen Square Incident and China Before and After" by Anna Wang Yuan is a poignant and gripping memoir that provides a unique and personal perspective on the Tiananmen Protests of 1989. Through her experiences working for a Japanese company in China during the historical events, Anna Wang offers a compelling narrative that intertwines love, frustration, and the profound impact of the violent upheaval on her life.
Wang's writing style brings vibrancy to the pages, immersing readers in the atmosphere of the times and shedding light on the emotions of an ordinary Chinese citizen during the tumultuous period. Her candid storytelling allows readers to empathize with the turmoil and complexity of her life choices.
August 1, 2023
Inconvenient Memories: A Personal Account of the Tiananmen Square Incident and China Before and After by Anna Wang Yuan is an autobiography detailing the author’s life after being born in China in 1966, through her childhood living in an “astronaut” family. During the Tiananmen Square Incident in 1989c Yuan worked for Canon and was sent into China to document. This incident is one for which accurate sources can be hard to find. This unique perspective mixed with personal anecdotes was very interesting to read! Not only is this a primary resource for any studying the Tiananmen Square Incident, but it also gives an inside look at how the Chinese government and China as a whole are perceived by someone born and raised there in that era.
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