I was first introduced to Anchee Min in the summer of 2010, when I read [b:Empress Orchid|139254|Empress Orchid (Empress Orchid, #1)|Anchee Min|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442864153s/139254.jpg|936155] and [b:The Last Empress|47305|The Last Empress (Empress Orchid, #2)|Anchee Min|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1433552246s/47305.jpg|3011152]; I remember reading late into the night, unable to put the books down. I rediscovered Min in early 2012 when I was living in New Orleans. I devoured five more of her books. Again, I remember hungrily reading her novels and breathtaking memoir in a matter of days.

Six years later, I came across Min's second memoir. I was ecstatic at this find and looked forward to reading the book more than I have anticipated reading a book in a long time.

The first half of The Cooked Seed contains Min's heartbreaking account of her unlikely immigration the United States and her struggle to learn English in a very short amount of time to claim her place at the Art of Institute of Chicago. I flew through the first half of this memoir with the absorption I recall from my first taste of her books, and I was not disappointed. However, my attitude quickly changed when I reached the second half of the book, Min's narrative of raising her daughter and meeting her second husband. Although Min does attempt to explain her parenting philosophy, with a nod to her Chinese heritage and her immigrant mindset, I was horrified at how she raised her daughter. Min's rambling tale of how she met her husband and the lengthy illustration of his personality was incredibly boring. These chapters were in desperate need of an editor.

My favorite part of this book was the inside of the hardcover backing, which featured a collage of pictures from this period in Min's life. After finishing the book last night, I am hesitant to recommend the book, but overall, I do believe that readers of Min's earlier work should read her memoir for a complete portrait of this remarkable woman. ( )

I received a copy of this book as part of Goodreads giveaway. Anchee Min doesn't spend an inordinate amount of time describing the earliest part of her life - but enough to show how little life was valued and how the government oppressed the people in the service of the Party. It is simply amazing that she survived the poverty and extremes of the labor camp.

As she emigrated to the US at age 27, life didn't get easier - she didn't speak the language, was unskilled and was poor. Despite being a nation of immigrants, we are not particularly welcoming of new waves of people. But she was not without resources: her enormous drive and focus. She learned something from every setback experienced and continued to move forward. When she realized her art was her writing, she truly began her journey to hone her craft.

Her writing style is a bit spare and unsentimental. She spares no one without being unnecessarily harsh whether its a family member, ex-husband or government. She criticizes the failures of Chinese Communism and the naivete of American Communists who wouldn't listen to her story after asking her opinion. She recognizes the strengths and pitfalls of America's liberties, consumerism and over-indulgent parenting.

I found it fascinating to read her analysis of her own loneliness and homesickness for a homeland which, in many ways, had given her very little and taken a great deal. I'm happy for her success.

Thank you China for giving us Anchee Min. I look forward to reading her other books.

( )

Anchee Min's life as an immigrant student in America.

Having read and enjoyed Empress Orchid and Pearl of China (both 4 stars), I was looking forward to reading The Cooked Seed, before Anchee Min comes to our literary festival in March. Unfortunately her memoir didn't involve me in the same way that her historical fiction had.

Although I hadn't read the first installment, Red Azalia, this wasn't a problem as Ms Min's life in China was covered in the first 10% of The Cooked Seed. I think her early life would have been a more interesting read than her life as a struggling immigrant student in America, whose main worry was obtaining the Green Card and the right to remain in the country. While I can sympathise with her concerns, it didn't make for very exciting reading.

When Anchee Min arrived in America in 1984, she spoke no English. Her first 6 months were spent attending English classes to raise her knowledge of the language to a level where she could study. She scraped a living together by working five jobs at the same time and carried her Chinese/English dictionary everywhere. Her determination to succeed was amazing.
She made a number of mistakes - got conned out of her savings and then invested in a run-down tenement block with standing tenants, which involved a constant run of repairs and renewals. She made a lot of bad choices, including marrying a man who she didn't really love.

I don't know if it was the way the book seemed to turn into a series of anecdotes that left me underwhelmed, but the first half was definitely more interesting than the second and although I didn't struggle to finish, my interest had definitely waned.
I definitely plan to read Red Azalia at some time, however. ( )

I have read many of Ms Min's novels and it was enlightening to read her memoir. She talks about her struggle to learn English and her discovery of how writing became her medium. She admits the criticism she received in her creative writing - bad writer with good content - was so correct. She covers her life story and her vision of what she hopes to do as a writer and tells the story of raising her child as an single parent. Its an inspiring read. ( )

(NetGalley e-ARC) After reading Min’s Red Azalea I was glad to see she’s written a biographic of her life. Cooked Seed is an apt title for this story, as that was how she viewed herself and her life in Mao’s China. Like a cooked seed she was unable to sprout. Determination despite her inability to speak English got her a student’s visa to the US. Determination was what she needed as she learned to navigate through Chicago and eventually California. As an American reading the book, I wanted to say “Don’t do that!” as she bounced from one challenge to another. But the adeptness of Min’s writing shows the challenges immigrants have to face. I would have given up long before Min found love and success in her writing. Her experiences show what many of us take for granted is a luxury to people in other parts of the world. ( )