Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

By Amy Chua
(Penguin Books, Paperback, 9780143120582, 256pp.)

Publication Date: December 27, 2011

Other Editions of This Title: Paperback, Compact Disc, Paperback, Paperback, Paperback, Paperback, Hardcover, Hardcover, Paperback, Paperback, Paperback

Categories: Personal Memoirs

Selected by Indie Booksellers for the Summer 2012 Reading Group

Amy Chua is the John M. Duff Professor of Law at Yale Law School. Her first book, World on Fire, a New York Times bestseller, was selected by The Economist as one of the best books of 2003. Her second book, Day of Empire, was a critically acclaimed Foreign Affairs bestseller. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and two Samoyeds in New Haven, Connecticut.

Strict, uncompromising values and discipline are what makes children raised by Chinese parents successful. That's the message in a new parenting book by Yale Law Professor Amy Chua. "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother," is based on Chua's personal experiences has raised questions about whether the book reinforces stereotypes of the unsparing Asian parent. Host Michel Martin speaks with the author about the memoir and her cultural views on raising children. More at NPR.org

1. In the beginning of her book Chua describes her daughters Sophia and Lulu’s personalities from birth. In what ways are they inherently different from one another?

“Few have the guts to parent in public. Amy [Chua]'s memoir is brutally honest, and her willingness to share her struggles is a gift. Whether or not you agree with her priorities and approach, she should be applauded for raising these issues with a thoughtful, humorous and authentic voice.”

-TIME Magazine

“Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is entertaining, bracingly honest and, yes, thought-provoking.”
-THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

“[A] riveting read… Far from being strident, the book's tone is slightly rueful, frequently self-deprecating and entirely aware of its author's enormities… Chua's story is far more complicated and interesting than what you've heard to date -- and well worth picking up… I guarantee that if you read the book, there'll undoubtedly be places where you'll cringe in recognition, and others where you'll tear up in empathy.”
-SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

“Courageous and thought-provoking.”
-David Brooks, THE NEW YORK TIMES

“Breathtakingly personal…[Chua’s] tale is as compelling as a good thriller.”
-THE FINANCIAL TIMES

"[F]ascinating. . . . the most stimulating book on the subject of child rearing since Dr. Spock." 
-SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

“Chua’s memoir, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, is a quick, easy read. It’s smart, funny, honest and a little heartbreaking…”
-CHICAGO SUN-TIMES