Book Review: On Gold Mountain by Lisa See

I love Lisa See’s books.  I am super excited that a new one comes out Tuesday.  While browsing around I found a book she wrote that I did not know about…On Gold Mountain is the story of her family’s journey from China to America, or “Gold Mountain.”  It details the lives of her great-great-great (I may have one too many in there :))grandfather and his children from his 4 wives.  A family member asked See to write the story and she did a superb job of researching her family’s history and retelling it in her own wonderful way.  Some of the history is fictionalized of course as records were lost and family members’ recollections differ or were “lost in translation.”  Nonetheless it’s a great read.  See is quite adept at mixing history and fiction in a way that keeps the reader turning the pages.  I can honestly say I learned a lot reading this book.  See holds nothing back, and is quite honest and frank even in telling her own parents’ story…sometimes too honest and frank lol.   I couldn’t believe her parents were still talking to her!  There are lots of old pictures too and at the end See tells of her trip back to the family’s hometown in China and meeting her cousins and other relatives still there…very interesting.  It’s a long book, but well worth it imo.