The Eighth Promise

[Emmaus, Pa.]: Rodale, 2007. First edition (same dates to copyright page and colophon). Octavo in red DJ, blue spine, gilt to spine, xx, 315 pages, 23 cm. Exceedingly mild rubbing to spine head and foot, light soiling to fore-edges, extremely gentle rubbing to corners, tight binding, bright pages, extremely gentle rubbing to DJ spine head and foot, very mild rubbing to DJ corners, faint soiling to DJ (near DJ flaps), else Near Fine(+) in Near Fine(-) DJ. Hardcover. ISBN: 159486456X

Signed by author. DJ protected by archival mylar sleeve. A memoir of the Chinese American immigrant experience and the relationship between a mother and son, in which the mother makes eight promises to her mother before she leaves China, and instills the final one, to live with compassion toward all, into her son. Contents: Prologue: A return to the village -- Part I: Source (1930-1950) -- One story, two voices -- Ancestral home -- The butterflies of death -- The clan sisterhood -- Go-between man -- Lucky day -- Poy Jen makes eight promises -- Crossing three rivers -- Part II: The new land (1951-1963) -- Red egg day -- Mrs. Ransom's forty-eight steaks -- The soup du jour is ch'i -- Ragtag boy scouts -- The Toisan rules for husbands -- Bogie's man -- Two buses daily -- Visitors wear masks -- Right feeling -- Part III: Initiations (1964-1972) -- Speaking in tongues -- Benevolent and protective -- New yellow peril -- The troubles -- All-American high school -- Grandmother smiles -- Tremors -- First son goes to university -- Clouds -- Part IV: Chaos under heaven (1972-1978) -- Speaking in circles -- Wailing wall -- Rub the hard-boiled egg -- Healing rites -- Talking about bad things brings them back -- The season of ten thousand sorrows -- Mothering all the children -- Inside moves -- Dead stop -- Blues spiral -- Part V: Renewal (1979-1983) -- Rage under a mother's gaze -- Angels of light and slam dancers -- Quilt -- A private victory -- Epilogue -- Author: A millennial Chinese New Year in Toisan -- Poy Jen: Choosing America -- Author: An American promise. Chinese Americans -- Autobiography.