Book Review - One in a Billion by Kai Chen 书评：【一比十亿 - 通往自由的旅程】

陈凯博客： www.kaichenblog.blogspot.com

Hello, Kai, 6/18/2010

I've finished your excellent book and posted a review for you on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1425985033/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

I also tagged the book. If you like the review, I would appreciate a yes vote on "was this review helpful?" (voting buttons under the review). Helpful votes improve my status as an Amazon reviewer.

Still no word on the Socrates decision. I've been emailing conservative authors and publishing trying to interest them in writing about the Confucius Institute and the threat to American students. So far, no responses. I'll keep trying.

Linda

--
L.C. Evans, Author
http://lcevans.com
Now available from Amazon.com

Books published:

Talented Horsewoman
Jobless Recovery
Night Camp
We Interrupt This Date

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Book Review - One in a Billion by Kai Chen

书评： 【一比十亿 - 通往自由的旅程】

Linda Evans

http://lcevans.com

What if you were born in China during the time of the "Cultural Revolution," yet you yearned for freedom and happiness that are not possible under communist rule? This was the dilemma of Kai Chen, author of One in a Billion: Journey Toward Freedom.

Mr. Chen writes movingly of his early years and separation from his parents who had been removed from good jobs and relocated to a city in the far north of China. Their crime? Having connections with another political party and having family in Taiwan. Eventually Mr. Chen and his two brothers were reunited with their parents. In the new city they suffered incredible hardships--lack of sanitary facilities, a tiny apartment, extremely cold and harsh winters, and not enough food or heat. Eventually Mr. Chen was recruited to play basketball for China, thanks to his athletic skill and his 6' 7" height. But even as a top player, he chafed under the petty and arbitrary decisions of the communists and resented the life he and his family were forced to accept. He was often in trouble for expressing his views and refusing to knuckle under. He was made to confess his failings at political meetings, where he was called bourgeois and taken to task for being too much of an individual. His brother was denied to right to attend college because of his family connections. Even to move from one city to another or to request a change of jobs required months and endless struggles with countless bureaucrats. As Mr. Chen grew from a child to a man, his yearning for freedom solidified and became his burning need. He knew he could never achieve happiness if he wasn't free. Eventually he found the freedom he craved in the United States. He is now an American.

If you want a firsthand account of life under communist rule in the 50's up to the early 80's this is the book for you. Highly recommended, especially for those who take for granted the privilege of living in a free country.

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From Kai Chen:

6/18/2010

Thanks so much Linda for your excellent review of my book. I appreciate very much. I have voted "yes" on your comment being very helpful.

Last night I went to the School Board meeting again in Hacienda District. The other side, the school board members, organized a counter attack by using the communist tactic: They call an organizer to round up a few high school students, putting words in their mouths to shout pro-China slogans in the meeting. Even before the Confucius Classroom program is implemented, the communist tactics have already been used - propaganda, brainwashing the youths, rounding up people like sheep for political purposes... I felt so bad for the students being used this way. But I am very familiar with the communistic tactics to attack political opponents. The victims are almost always those who believe vehemently in the evil ideology. This made our effort on this front more valuable, especially now in America.

I am very grateful to have people like you to stand up with me and with truth and freedom. Indeed America is in grave danger and America is under vicious attacks. We must fight back.

Best. Kai Chen