Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

Amy Chua
$17.00
Publication Date: December 27th, 2011
Publisher:
Penguin Books
ISBN:
9780143120582
Pages:
256

Yale Law professor and history scholar Chua bravely and honestly relates her experiences in raising two daughters with her husband. Her self-defined 'Chinese parenting' approach presents a challenge to readers to understand how her unconditional love for her children can translate into such 'foreign' parental strategies that, from a Western perspective, seemingly impose stringent strictures on her children's development. Their accomplishments in violin, piano, and academics strongly argue for the effectiveness of her method, although the pitfalls of the approach manifest themselves, and the difficult process of reevaluation results in a provocative and instructive work.

Ed Conklin, Chaucer's Books, Santa Barbara, CA
Summer 2012 Reading Group

Yale Law professor and history scholar Chua bravely and honestly relates her experiences in raising two daughters with her husband. Her self-defined 'Chinese parenting' approach presents a challenge to readers to understand how her unconditional love for her children can translate into such 'foreign' parental strategies that, from a Western perspective, seemingly impose stringent strictures on her children's development. Their accomplishments in violin, piano, and academics strongly argue for the effectiveness of her method, although the pitfalls of the approach manifest themselves, and the difficult process of reevaluation results in a provocative and instructive work.

Ed Conklin, Chaucer's Books, Santa Barbara, CA
January 2011 Indie Next List

Description

“Courageous and thought-provoking.” —David Brooks, The New York Times

“Breathtakingly personal . . . [Chua’s] tale is as compelling as a good thriller.” —The Financial Times

"[F]ascinating. . . . the most stimulating book on the subject of child rearing since Dr. Spock." —Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“Chua’s memoir, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, is a quick, easy read. It’s smart, funny, honest and a little heartbreaking . . .” —Chicago Sun-Times

At once provocative and laugh-out-loud funny, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother ignited a global parenting debate with its story of one mother’s journey in strict parenting.  Amy Chua argues that Western parenting tries to respect and nurture children’s individuality, while Chinese parents typically believe that arming children with skills, strong work habits, and inner confidence prepares them best for the future.   Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother chronicles Chua’s iron-willed decision to raise her daughters, Sophia and Lulu, the Chinese way – and the remarkable, sometimes heartbreaking  results her choice inspires.  Achingly honest and profoundly challenging, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is one of the most talked-about books of our times.

About the Author

Amy Chua is the John M. Duff Professor of Law at Yale Law School. Her most recent book is Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations. She is also the author of The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America (co-authored with Jed Rubenfeld). Chua's first book, World on Fire, was a New York Times bestseller and selected by The Economist as one of the best books of 2003; while her second book, Day of Empire, was a critically acclaimed Foreign Affairs bestseller. Chua lives with her husband, two daughters, and two Samoyeds in New Haven, Connecticut.

Praise for Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

“Few have the guts to parent in public. Amy [Chua]'s memoir is brutally honest, and her willingness to share her struggles is a gift. Whether or not you agree with her priorities and approach, she should be applauded for raising these issues with a thoughtful, humorous and authentic voice.” —TIME

“Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is entertaining, bracingly honest and, yes, thought-provoking.” —The New York Times Book Review

“[A] riveting read . . . Far from being strident, the book's tone is slightly rueful, frequently self-deprecating and entirely aware of its author's enormities . . . Chua's story is far more complicated and interesting than what you've heard to date—and well worth picking up . . . I guarantee that if you read the book, there'll undoubtedly be places where you'll cringe in recognition, and others where you'll tear up in empathy.” —San Francisco Chronicle

“Courageous and thought-provoking.” —David Brooks, The New York Times

“Breathtakingly personal . . . [Chua’s] tale is as compelling as a good thriller.” —The Financial Times

"[F]ascinating. . . . the most stimulating book on the subject of child rearing since Dr. Spock." —Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“Chua’s memoir, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, is a quick, easy read. It’s smart, funny, honest and a little heartbreaking . . .” —Chicago Sun-Times

“Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother hit the parenting hot button, but also a lot more, including people's complicated feelings about ambition, intellectualism, high culture, the Ivy League, strong women and America's standing in a world where China is ascendant. Chua's conviction that hard work leads to inner confidence is a resonant one.” —Chicago Tribune

“Readers will alternately gasp at and empathize with Chua's struggles and aspirations, all the while enjoying her writing, which, like her kid-rearing philosophy, is brisk, lively and no-holds-barred. This memoir raises intriguing, sometimes uncomfortable questions about love, pride, ambition, achievement and self-worth that will resonate among success-obsessed parents . . . Readers of all stripes will respond to [Battle Hymn of the] Tiger Mother.” —The Washington Post