The Eighth Promise: An American Son's Tribute to His Toisanese Mother

by William Poy Lee and James Lee Poy

Book Overview

In the best-selling tradition of The Color of Water comes a beautifully written, evocative memoir of a relationship between a mother and son--and the Chinese-American experience In The Eighth Promise,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159486456X
• ISBN13: 9781594864568
• Release Date: February 2007
• Publisher: Rodale Books
• Length: 315 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

An Amazing Story of Culture, History, and Grace

I was drawn to The Eighth Promise, as I automatically veer towards any books related to China. Then I realized that this wasn't just about China, but about America as well. The author grew up in San Franscisco's Chinatown during quite volatile times--the Vietnam war, Civil Rights protests, Chinatown wars. I was fascinated by this history which he so vividly brought to life. Then, a terrible thing happened to his family, a terribly unjust, unfair thing that you would hope doesn't happen in America. I was moved to tears by the grace with which they dealt with this horrible injustice. The Eighth Promise is an insightful book about Chinese Culture, American history during the 60's, 70's, and most importantly, grace in the face of injustice.

A moving portrait of growing up between two worlds

Born in San Francisco in 1951 to Toisanese (Southern Chinese) immigrant parents, Lee visited his mother's ancestral village in 1983 and had an epiphany, which sparked "a slow reintegration of self. Until that day, I had always felt as if I had been dropped out of the sky....focused exclusively on an American future that was unconnected to my parents' past." In Toisan he marvels at his relatives' "free and easy body language, as natural as that of any free people and so unlike the reserved, contracted bodies of many Chinese Americans." San Francisco's Chinatown evolved out of generations of despised and abused Chinese immigrants. Lee comes to understand this and the role the closed Chinatown community played in the trials of his own family. But another dozen years pass before Lee takes to heart his mother, Poy Jen's, lessons. On leaving China to marry a naturalized American-Toisanese Poy Jen made her mother eight promises, mostly to do with maintaining tradition and finding husbands for her sisters. But the eighth promise - to live life "in complete compassion" strikes Lee "as the distillation of all the wisdom of my kin," simple people at the mercy of nature and each other, who maintained harmony through this philosophy. Looking back he sees how his mother painstakingly fulfilled each promise, especially the eighth. As his respect for her quiet perseverance grows, he decides to tell her story in tandem with his own. The memoir takes shape in alternate chapters. Poy Jen describes the arranging of her marriage as her Nationalist family prepared to flee the communists, the traditions of Clan Sisterhood (which held even in San Francisco), the shock of her solitary life in America, her struggles to learn English (which she never did), become a citizen and bring her sisters over, marital tensions, bringing children up in a strange land and much more. Her tone grows bolder and more intense as the narrative proceeds, as if the hours of talking finally break through her self-effacing habits. Lee's chapters reflect and contrast with his mother's. In the beginning he expands on the traditions she describes, and explains the politics of American immigration rules and their practical effects on real people. Poor and insular, Lee doesn't speak a word of English until he goes to school, where he and his brothers embrace Americanization, even forming a Boy Scout troop (they could not afford to join a real one) in their tenement. They resist Chinese school, which Poy Jen insists on, flirt with gangs, discover politics and civil rights. The memoir gathers strength as it goes, offering a personal history of Chinese immigrant life since the 1950s with all its personal, financial and cultural family tensions, generational differences, tragedy and violence. Moving and thoughtful, leavened gently with humor, Lee provides a window onto the mystery of Chinatown.

Great book for a bookclub

I read this book with my bookclub. The hostess knew William and invited him to join us, so we had the pleasure of meeting the author! He is extremely interesting and articulate. His book is a fabulous journey of discovery. The stories his mother tells are truly amazing. The manner in which he presents the 2 different voices is extremely successful, alternating between his story and his mother's. The culture of Southern China, which formed the basis for his mother's story, is inspiring. The 8 promises (and especially the 8th) are equally applicable to today's world and would change the world if everyone allowed themselves to follow them! Don't miss this book.

A real five star gem

I was referred to this book by a Chinese American friend, and I just loved it. Since I live in San Francisco, I was very interested in the fascinating history of early Chinatown with sad parts about corrupt politics and gang violence, the latter taking a personal toll on the author's family. The most fascinating part, however, had to do with Lee's mother, a remarkable Toisan female leader. His realization of her unique leadership of the community, and the values of the Toisan clan were moving and important. I must say that I have been referring the book to everyone I know, Asian or not. It was a moving book that I really enjoyed.

Touching and wise

I found this book both compelling and heart-warming, and the interweaving of Lee's own personal story in the turbuluent 60's and 70's with his mother's own life and journeys left me with a new and much stronger appreciation for community and the ties that bind. Plus, as someone from a different background, the book was a window into a whole other world. Concise, to the point, and humble, I recommend Lee's writing very highly.