MY LITTLE SISTER

Hung recollects a profoundly difficult childhood in this memoir.

The author was born in China, in the region now known as Guangzhou, during the nation’s tumultuous civil war between the nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) and communist forces. By the late 1940s, it became clear that the communists would win, an especially worrisome eventuality for Hung because his father worked for the Kuomintang. The family fled to Hong Kong in 1949 and endured years of poverty, crushed by the “tyranny of money,” a harsh reality poignantly portrayed by the author. They experienced torturous hunger—in the winter the family was reduced to eating lard—and were haunted by the prospect of becoming homeless. To make matters worse, one of Hung’s siblings—he only refers to her as Big Sister—was unspeakably cruel, often beating the younger children and constantly causing problems for the family. The focus of Hung’s memoir is on his younger sister, Silan, who seemed to suffer more than the others. Both Hung and Silan eventually rose above their circumstances, attended college in the United States, and pursued professional careers—Hung became a medical doctor and Silan became a teacher. But the trauma of Silan’s early life left a deep imprint upon her psyche, exacerbated when she married an abusive husband; she ultimately descended into dementia and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Hung’s life has been a fascinating and dramatic one, filled with travails and triumph. The entire project is a heartbreakingly tender homage to Silan: “Those of us who knew her loved her and will never forget her. We share stories and laugh over times with her frequently; we miss her terribly. It’s impossible to describe what a unique and incredible person she was.” Occasionally, the author loses his way, as when he includes overlong discussions of the science of Alzheimer’s, replete with illustrations. This remains a remarkable story, though, both touching and insightful.

A thoughtful and emotionally affecting remembrance.