Elaine Lui

Delightful and funny, funny! Elaine Lui writes about her mother's influence on her throughout her life and even now. There's so much personality in this book, and Lui's mother is a stitch! Most of us can pick out some quirks in our mothers, but Elaine's mother is a colorful character with a strong personality. She duly schools her daughter in the ways of the old country -- China. The reader can almost hear her mother's accent through these pages, and see her doling out advice loudly and embarrassingly.

Some chapter titles: Walk Like an Elephant, Squawk Like a Chicken; Never Bring Home an Umbrella off the Street; Why Are You Dating a Triangle-Head? The Introduction begins: "You look like dried monkey flakes", a quote from the mother to the daughter, who has a job on television.

Some of the book is a fascinating and hilarious look into the lives of Chinese immigrants, with plenty of mah-jong.

The book can be read in a day or two and is unique. Elaine, my mother was just as good as yours at embarrassing me, but she was colorful in different ways. Just experiencing two languages growing up is special. I'm glad you wrote the book, a fun tribute to Ma.… (meer)