Fourth Concubine, Son Of: A journey through life from China to America

This book describes the journey of a young man, pre birth in the period when China at the turn of the twentieth century, moves from an ancient imperial order to the turbulence of a country in flux, through the coming of the second world war, the invasion of China by the imperial Japanese forces and eventually, the rise of the Communist world. Through all the historical forces, Strongheart, the main character, tries to adapt to the new ways, chooses a mate, tries to provide for his family and decides to travel to America to an uncertain future. His cultural moorings are shaken and frazzled, for with the move, his beloved mother decides she would rather stay behind in China even though she realizes that her life would be difficult without her only child. Strongheart experiences such diverse cultures and experiences he can only survive in daily "talks" with his mother. He realizes his wife has difficulties adapting to life in America of a kind that is a bit different from the difficulties back in China. The most difficult one is how to get a middle class job since he did not have the robustness of an "outdoor plant" as he might put it. Although he spoke English he did have problems with slang and the fast paced life of change that is America. He does his best, soldiering on. How will he deal with the business world of vending? How will he develop a skin tough enough to survive? How will he try to educate his daughters in Chinese as well as English? His hopes for his musical daughter, his rebellious younger daughter, are all caught up in the daily grind of surviving. Will his siblings who like the life of political power survive defeat? But it is his daily life of an apolitical type that makes him different. He yearns for an academic life but finds that a struggle as well. Will he see his sister Summer Darling again?

Author: Paola Lasagni

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Publication Date: Jul 24, 2015

Number of Pages: 320 pages

Binding: Paperback or Softback

ISBN-10: 151521513X

ISBN-13: 9781515215134