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If Only Had Listened With Different Ears: A Memoir by Celeste Ng

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Published in If Only I Had Listened With Different Ears

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Book Cover Of If Only Had Listened With Different Ears By Celeste Ng If Only I Had Listened With Different Ears

If Only I Had Listened with Different Ears

by Jason Siff

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1228 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	368 pages

In her memoir, If Only Had Listened With Different Ears, Celeste Ng reflects on her childhood and explores the ways in which her parents' expectations and cultural values shaped her identity. The memoir is a powerful and moving exploration of the complexities of family, identity, and the immigrant experience.

Ng was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Chinese immigrant parents. Her father was a physicist and her mother was a nurse. Ng grew up in a traditional Chinese household, where her parents expected her to excel in school and become a doctor or lawyer. However, Ng had other dreams. She wanted to be a writer.

Ng's parents did not understand her desire to become a writer. They saw writing as a frivolous pursuit, not a real career. They pressured her to pursue a more practical path, such as medicine or law. Ng felt torn between her parents' expectations and her own dreams. She eventually decided to follow her own path and become a writer.

In If Only Had Listened With Different Ears, Ng explores the challenges she faced as a first-generation Chinese American. She writes about the racism she experienced, the cultural misunderstandings she had with her parents, and the search for her own identity.

The memoir is a powerful and moving exploration of the complexities of family, identity, and the immigrant experience. Ng's writing is honest and insightful, and she provides a unique perspective on the challenges faced by first-generation Chinese Americans.

Themes

If Only Had Listened With Different Ears explores a number of important themes, including:

Family: Ng writes about the complex relationships between parents and children, siblings, and spouses. She explores the ways in which our families can shape our identities and our lives.
Identity: Ng explores the challenges of finding one's own identity, especially as a first-generation Chinese American. She writes about the ways in which we are shaped by our culture, our family, and our own experiences.
The immigrant experience: Ng writes about the challenges faced by immigrants, including racism, cultural misunderstandings, and the search for a sense of belonging. She provides a unique perspective on the immigrant experience.

Critical reception

If Only Had Listened With Different Ears has received critical acclaim. The New York Times called it "a powerful and moving memoir," and the Washington Post praised Ng's "honest and insightful writing." The memoir was also a finalist for the National Book Award for Nonfiction.

If Only Had Listened With Different Ears is a powerful and moving memoir that explores the complexities of family, identity, and the immigrant experience. Ng's writing is honest and insightful, and she provides a unique perspective on the challenges faced by first-generation Chinese Americans.

If Only I Had Listened with Different Ears

by Jason Siff

5 out of 5