All That Work and Still No Boys

Kathyrn Ma's splendid fictionalized accounts of 1st generation Chinese transitioning from the cultural certitudes of the Middle Kingdom to a bold embrace of life in the United States is presented with wit, verve and humor through the lense of the universal touchstone, family. That Kathryn Ma's complex portrayals of family life, replete with refreshingly real characters, speak so engagingly to the modern condition, is ample evidence of this trenchant observer's exceptional gifts of expression. After laughing at, crying with and projecting one's self into the 1st story-an account of Mrs. Yin's arcane deliberations, bold deceptions, and indecision to accept a needed kidney transplant from one of her many children, Hemingway's aphorism comes to mind, "All good books have one thing in common - they are truer than if they had really happened." Of almost universal appeal, these witty collections will be especially appreciated by readers who are themselves from close-knit families, or who seek to understand friends from close-knit families, or perhaps wish they were from close-knit families.

I read these stories on the subway to and from work each day and was always sad to reach my stop and put it down. Great stories, beautiful writing, and memorable characters that spring fully to life, even in stories of only a few pages. When I really love a book, I want to keep spending time with it, so I re-read parts and then read the acknowledgments and the copyright page. This was that kind of book. I'm amazed by the variety of voices Kathryn Ma captured and I hope to read more from this talented author.