amy tan saving fish from drowning summary

One book was especially helpful: A novel from 1894 by Han Bangqing, a Shanghainese journalist and habitué of courtesan houses in Shanghai, who incorporated his experiences from the houses he frequented. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. I read an account about a Western girl who had married into a Chinese family and who had been beaten to death. I found stories about men who said they had been fleeced by courtesans.

I also used Google Books to search for public domain articles from the 19th and early 20th century, for example, newspaper clippings about events. I was able to communicate by email with three of the authors, who are professors at universities. During your research for the book how did you come to understand the courtesan houses and the jobs of the courtesans? Amy Tan responds I begin by imagining what I would need to know to inhabit that world as a courtesan: What are the protocols? What are the expectations? Who are the clients? How do I become popular? What are the difficulties I would face? What relationships would I have - those that I can depend on and those I must be wary of? I bought a number of books - scholarly work - on courtesan culture in the early 20th century and specific to Shanghai. Sabreena Braich asks One thing that fascinated me about the courtesan houses was that the courtesans work on creating illusions and fantasies specific to each suitor in order to gain them as clients. They are all part of the whole of who I am. No one stage of my life was more important than another. Is this your most personal work to date? Amy Tan responds Each book is based on what was most compelling at that particular stage of my life. Terri Lawrence-Tayler asks Your books often share themes exploring mother-daughter relationships this latest was vastly influenced by a photo of your grandmother. AJ Wilson Toronto Sabreena Braich Surrey, B.C. Kelsey Attard Calgary Cheryl Kozoriz Toronto Teresa Salvatore Barrie, Ont. Derek Pinder Toronto Katherine Fletcher London, Ont. This Week’s Readers: Terri Lawrence-Tayler Windsor Alana Charles Toronto Heather LeBar Guelph, Ont.

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Amy tan saving fish from drowning summary