Adeline Yen Mah

Adeline Yen Mah is a Chinese-American author and physician. She is best known for her autobiography, Falling Leaves, which details her early life in China and her experiences with child abuse and neglect.

Early Life

Adeline Yen Mah was born in Tianjin, China, in 1937. Her mother died shortly after her birth, leading her family to consider her bad luck. This belief was reinforced by her father's subsequent marriage to a woman who treated Adeline and her siblings harshly while favoring her own children.

Education

Despite the adversity she faced at home, Yen Mah excelled in school. She attended the Sacred Heart Canossian College in Hong Kong and later studied medicine at the University of London, where she specialized in anesthesiology.

Career

After completing her medical studies, Yen Mah moved to the United States, where she practiced medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. She eventually transitioned into writing, drawing on her personal experiences to pen her autobiography, Falling Leaves, which became an international bestseller.

Works

In addition to Falling Leaves, Yen Mah has written several other books, including Chinese Cinderella, a book for children that tells a simplified version of her life story, and Watching the Tree, a book that explores traditional Chinese culture and philosophy.

Legacy

Yen Mah's works have been praised for their emotional depth and insight into Chinese culture. Her life story serves as a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of education.

External links

• Official website

See also

• Chinese American literature
• Child abuse
• Resilience (psychology)