Saving Fish from Drowning

A beautiful, heartbreaking story aobut the human spirit ... sorry if that's the mother of all literary cliches, but it's quite applicable. Deceased art patron Bibi Chen follows her friends as they travel in "the footsteps of the Buddha" (though Buddhism is not a main emphasis in the book) with an inexperienced but eager-to-please tour leader. Each character is developed and explained masterfully,...more

A beautiful, heartbreaking story aobut the human spirit ... sorry if that's the mother of all literary cliches, but it's quite applicable. Deceased art patron Bibi Chen follows her friends as they travel in "the footsteps of the Buddha" (though Buddhism is not a main emphasis in the book) with an inexperienced but eager-to-please tour leader. Each character is developed and explained masterfully, illustrating both cultural failings and spiritual questions. It's not just "Hur hur, DUMB AMERICANS! What losers!" The book makes valid points about travel and cultural exchange that anyone who's been someplace exotic with a group of Americans (well-intentioned or not) can identify with. It's not hard to picture Bibi slapping her forehead and grumbling about her friends' innocent ignorance. However, as the book progresses, it becomes less about bumbling tour groups and more about how people react under stress - both the tour group and the Lord's Army tribe they encounter. Laced into the current story is Bibi's retelling of major childhood events, and the book's ending culminates with ... well, I won't spoil it for you, but it's ironic who seems most likely to end up changed and who actually does. A great read; I highly recommend it.    hide

This book was very.. interesting. I've seen where Amy Tan got very bad reviews by some people simply because they couldn't finish the book. This book could have been divided into two separate books since the middle of it brings in a new plot all together, and it all ends very abruptly. Bibi Chen is a chinese-american who planned a trip to Myanmar with her friends in San Francisco, but is found...more

This book was very.. interesting. I've seen where Amy Tan got very bad reviews by some people simply because they couldn't finish the book. This book could have been divided into two separate books since the middle of it brings in a new plot all together, and it all ends very abruptly. Bibi Chen is a chinese-american who planned a trip to Myanmar with her friends in San Francisco, but is found dead in her shop days before the excursion. Her friends decide to go on without her, in her memory. But little do they know she is following them in spirit, and her spirit narrates the novel, through trips, little misunderstandings, the overnight stays, and the food they eat. When a kid on the trip shows natives magic tricks, they believe he is their reincarnated god because in the past a man had them believe he was the son of man and he said he would return to the secret land - but disappears in the jungles before he comes back. The group was split, and the world interveines, wanting to find the missing americans who were abducted by these natives who believe their leader has returned to them. It's an interesting story, written very well. Amy Tan jumps at chances where an American is shown to be naiive and stupid to other cultures outside of our own. If you plan to read this book, you should have access to a dictionary or thesaurus, because Amy Tan's vocabulary is extremely extensive.   hide

Amy Tan hits it out of the ballpark again. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as some of her others, because I love the way she usually weaves intricate histories into a present storyline. This one doesn't have as much of that, but it reveals a subtle satirical voice I didn't know she had. And I do love the way she plays with the reader in this one, but I can't say too much about that without...more

Amy Tan hits it out of the ballpark again. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as some of her others, because I love the way she usually weaves intricate histories into a present storyline. This one doesn't have as much of that, but it reveals a subtle satirical voice I didn't know she had. And I do love the way she plays with the reader in this one, but I can't say too much about that without giving away some things that I'm sure are much more fun if you don't know about them in advance. A hint: be sure to read the interview with her at the back of the book... but not until you're at least halfway through it. :-)   hide

I've enjoyed other works by this author, so when it started out slow I kept thinking "be patient." By the time I had given up on the book I was almost finished so I went on out of obligation. It's not a bad book, but I didn't enjoy it. I found it difficult to keep track of the characters throughout the first half of the book. Despite being on a tour of Burma, there isn't much character...more

I've enjoyed other works by this author, so when it started out slow I kept thinking "be patient." By the time I had given up on the book I was almost finished so I went on out of obligation. It's not a bad book, but I didn't enjoy it. I found it difficult to keep track of the characters throughout the first half of the book. Despite being on a tour of Burma, there isn't much character development before the action begins. As a result, I didn't feel a lot of attachment to the charactrs which may have resulted in my nonchalance about their fates. Overall, an average book that I recommend you skip.   hide