Tung Jung Association Library
The Tung Jung Association Library contains books on Chinese history, migration, culture and literature. Members are welcome to borrow books. Click the review links to learn more about each title. These books were graciously donated by Kevin Luey on behalf of his wife. If you'd like to borrow a book, please contact secretary@tungjung.nz
| Author | Title | Category | Summary | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adeline Yen Mah | Chinese Cinderella: The Mystery of the Song Dynasty Painting | Young Adult Mystery | Chinese Cinderella uncovers clues surrounding a priceless painting in this historical mystery for younger readers. | |
| Adeline Yen Mah | Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society | Young Adult Fiction | Chinese Cinderella investigates a mystery in early twentieth-century China. | |
| Adeline Yen Mah | Chinese Cinderella: The Secret Story of an Unwanted Daughter | Memoir | Adeline Yen Mah recounts her difficult childhood and her determination to overcome rejection and hardship. | |
| Adeline Yen Mah | Falling Leaves | Memoir | A powerful memoir of family conflict, resilience and self-discovery spanning twentieth-century China and Hong Kong. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falling_Leaves_(memoir) |
| Adeline Yen Mah | Watching the Tree | Memoir | Reflections on Chinese philosophy, family values and the lessons drawn from a lifetime bridging East and West. | |
| Aimee E. Liu | Cloud Mountain | Historical Fiction | A multigenerational novel spanning twentieth-century China, exploring war, revolution, exile and the enduring bonds of family. | https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15793508-cloud-mountain |
| Alison Wong | As the Earth Turns Silver | Historical Fiction | A historical novel set in Wellington's Chinese community during the anti-Chinese unrest of 1905. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_the_Earth_Turns_Silver |
| Amy Tan | The Bonesetter's Daughter | Literary Fiction | Amy Tan explores the relationship between a Chinese immigrant mother and her American-born daughter, uncovering family secrets across generations. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bonesetter%27s_Daughter |
| Amy Tan | The Hundred Secret Senses | Literary Fiction | Two half-sisters discover how memory, folklore and Chinese traditions connect their lives across generations. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hundred_Secret_Senses |
| Amy Tan | The Joy Luck Club | Literary Fiction | Four Chinese immigrant mothers and their American-born daughters navigate family, culture and identity. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Joy_Luck_Club |
| Amy Tan | The Kitchen God's Wife | Literary Fiction | Family secrets emerge as a Chinese immigrant mother shares the painful story of her past with her daughter. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kitchen_God%27s_Wife |
| Amy Tan | The Opposite of Fate | Memoir | A collection of essays reflecting on writing, family, creativity and the experiences that shaped Amy Tan's life. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Opposite_of_Fate |
| Carolyn Choa & David Siu Li-Qun (eds.) | The Picador Book of Contemporary Chinese Fiction | Anthology | A collection of modern Chinese short stories showcasing leading contemporary writers. | |
| David Guterson | Snow Falling on Cedars | Literary Fiction | A murder trial exposes prejudice, memory and the legacy of war in a small coastal community. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Falling_on_Cedars |
| David Hill | My Story: Chinatown Girl – The Diary of Silvey Chan, Auckland, 1942 | Historical Fiction | A fictional diary following a young Chinese New Zealander growing up during the Second World War. | |
| Frank Dikötter | Mao's Great Famine | History | An acclaimed account of the Great Leap Forward famine based on newly opened Chinese archives. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao%27s_Great_Famine |
| Helene Wong | Being Chinese: A New Zealander's Story | Memoir | Helene Wong explores the experiences of Chinese New Zealanders through family history and identity. | |
| Jan Wong | China Blues | Memoir | Jan Wong traces her family's history while reflecting on modern China and her own experiences during the Cultural Revolution. | https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1236504.China_Blues |
| Jennifer Cody Epstein | The Painter from Shanghai | Historical Fiction | A novel based on the extraordinary life of Chinese painter Pan Yuliang. | |
| Jung Chang | Empress Dowager Cixi | Biography / History | A fresh interpretation of the life of the powerful ruler who guided China into the modern era. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Dowager_Cixi_(book) |
| Jung Chang | Wild Swans | Memoir / History | The story of three generations of women living through the upheavals of modern China. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Swans |
| Leslie T. Chang | Factory Girls | Social History | Young migrant women leave rural villages to work in China's rapidly changing manufacturing economy. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory_Girls |
| Li Cunxin | Mao's Last Dancer | Memoir | Li Cunxin recounts his journey from a poor village in China to becoming one of the world's leading ballet dancers. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao%27s_Last_Dancer_(book) |
| Lisa See | Dreams of Joy | Historical Fiction | A daughter travels to Mao-era China while her mother races to bring her home. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreams_of_Joy |
| Lisa See | Peony in Love | Historical Fiction | Inspired by a classic Chinese opera, this novel explores love, loss and literature. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peony_in_Love |
| Lisa See | Shanghai Girls | Historical Fiction | Two sisters flee wartime Shanghai and begin new lives in America. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Girls |
| Lisa See | Snow Flower and the Secret Fan | Historical Fiction | A lifelong friendship unfolds through the secret women's script of nineteenth-century China. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Flower_and_the_Secret_Fan |
| Liu Hong | Wives of the East Wind | Historical Fiction | Three Chinese women seek new beginnings overseas while navigating friendship and identity. | https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1910338.Wives_of_the_East_Wind |
| Maxine Alterio | Ribbons of Grace | Historical Fiction | Chinese gold miners and settlers face hardship and opportunity in nineteenth-century Central Otago. | https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17838912-ribbons-of-grace |
| Pang-Mei Natasha Chang | Bound Feet & Western Dress | Memoir | A memoir of growing up between Chinese traditions and Western culture. | |
| Paul Theroux | Kowloon Tong | Literary Fiction | A family confronts uncertainty as Hong Kong prepares to return to Chinese rule. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kowloon_Tong_(novel) |
| Paul Wah | Wooden Man, Stone Heart | Memoir | Paul Wah recounts his family's journey from China to New Zealand. | |
| Peter Hessler | Oracle Bones | Travel / History | A thoughtful exploration of modern China through archaeology, language and everyday life. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_Bones_(book) |
| Wayson Choy | The Jade Peony | Literary Fiction | Three siblings describe life in Vancouver's Chinatown during the 1930s and 1940s. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jade_Peony |
| Xinran | China Witness | Oral History | Ordinary Chinese people recount their experiences through the upheavals of twentieth-century China. | https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13051606-china-witness |
| Xinran | Miss Chopsticks | Fiction | Four sisters from rural China seek independence in a rapidly changing society. | |
| Xinran | The Good Women of China | Oral History | Moving accounts of Chinese women's lives collected through Xinran's radio programme. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Women_of_China |
| Xinran | What the Chinese Don't Eat | Culture | Essays exploring Chinese food culture and the stories behind everyday meals. |