Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

By: Amy Chua

Narrated by: Amy Chua

Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

At once provocative and laugh-out-loud funny, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother ignited a global parenting debate with its story of one mother’s journey in strict parenting.

Amy Chua argues that Western parenting tries to respect and nurture children’s individuality, while Chinese parents typically believe that arming children with skills, strong work habits, and inner confidence prepares them best for the future.

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother chronicles Chua’s iron-willed decision to raise her daughters, Sophia and Lulu, the Chinese way - and the remarkable, sometimes heartbreaking results her choice inspires.

Achingly honest and profoundly challenging, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is one of the most talked-about books of our times.

©2010 Amy Chua (P)2011 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“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)

Amy Chua is a judgemental n condescending bitch.

More like Battle Hymn of an Obsessive Narcissist. Read this book if you want to feel like crap about the way you raise your kids.

Insightful, Quick Read for Moms!

Where does Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Amy Chua did a great job with narrating her story. I appreciate the first hand insight into another Tiger Mother. Whether you are a Western Mom or an Asian Mom, this book is helpful to see who you are as your children's parent and guide in life and decide what role you want to take with them.

unique perspectives. brilliant. don't miss this 1!

Amy is one of the most insightful writers of our time. all that she writes is very well-researched and very honest and also moving.

Interesting But Lacking

Although the writing was entertaining, there was such a lack of humility that I can’t say I would want to read another one of her books. Chua eventually allowed her daughter to make some decisions but her perspective on life was exhausting and drab. Life is much more than accomplishing and she may never understand this.

Battle Hymn of the Narcissistic Mother

Ms. Chua suffers from Narcissistc personality disorder.in which a person is excessively preoccupied with personal adequacy, power, prestige and vanity. She uses her cultural background as an excuse to use a parenting style that is emotionally abusive. Even when her husband and parents caution her on the direction she is headed with her daughters, her self-centered personality allows her to convince herself she is always right and only considering her daughters best interest.
The story was fascinating in its brutal honesty. This is also testimony that Chua does not believe there was anything wrong with her cruelty and has no regrets. In the last chapter she brings in her daughters statements about the book and comments on her parenting methods. At this point her daughters are still in high school and appear to be defending their mother. It would be interesting to know how they end up parenting their own children and what their thoughts and comments will be on their mother at that time.
Jed, Chua's husband is mentioned frequently and praised highly in the book. She also discusses his outstanding achievements. At the same time she is determined to prove that her harsh "Chinese" mothering is the correct and only way to raise outstanding, high achieving children; she continues to discuss how opposite her husband was raised by her in-laws.
Overall, the book is worthwhile if only to get a glimpse into the lifestyle of this family. Every educator should read it to assist in identifying this type of abuse and the emotional problems that can evolve from this kind of home environment. Parents should read it and ask themselves if they truly believe ends justify the means when it comes to your child. Do you want your child to be a happy, well adjusted, caring person, capable of making good decisions for themselves, or is it more important to have "trophy" children that reflect your own personal desire for recognition and insecurities?

Battle Hymn of Get Some Prozac...

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Meh. Jury's still out.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Mommy Dearest.

Which scene was your favorite?

The one where the Mom hurled abuse at her recalcitrant daughter...oh, wait, that was the ENTIRE book.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Heck no! I already lived this once, I don't need to revisit my childhood on film.

Any additional comments?

Wow. The Mom needed to seriously chill and get her own hobby. There's disciplining your child and pushing them to do their best, but this Mother needed to get a grip. She could have approached motherhood with a little more balance.

Too stict, to lax

Interesting read. I have wondered at how the Eastern Culture raises their children. The Chinese have such a strong work ethic (as I did).
This book describes 2 generations of child rearing in a Chinese and then a Chinese-Jewish/American household.
It's the total opposite of what US rearing has become. Chinese seem to be too strict and the US is way too lax. There has to be a happy medium, which at the end of this book it seems is finally learned.

Loved this book

Where does Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very high

What did you learn from Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother that you would use in your daily life?

how to parent and how not to parent. I didn't like her parenting style for the most part but some things were quite useful. it helped me think of parenting in a new light.

If I could be a Mom, I would soooo be a Tiger Mom

Where does Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

A few of my books, I have listened to multiple times, BHotTM is one of them, and I still laugh! one of my top ten!

Which scene was your favorite?

Probably when she and her husband are arging over how to support the hopes and dreams of their girls, and Cocoa.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I make all my pregnant or young parent friends read this book. then I quiz them on it.

Wow! She was honest.

Where does Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I would say 4 out of 5. I appreciated hearing the book in the author's own voice. I feel like such a personal story would be weird coming from another reader. The subject interested me exceedingly as a mother of 4 daughters.

What other book might you compare Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother to and why?

It is not a direct comparison, but The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley is another book that is also informative for those that are interested in maximizing kids' potential. I could pick apart that book and this one if that was my intent, but I instead found some truths and clear-sightedness in both. The current audiobook I am listening to is Grit by Angela Duckworth. I think Amy Chua, if nothing else, taught/gave her children grit.

Have you listened to any of Amy Chua’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not.

What insight do you think you’ll apply from Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother?

I think that this book will aid me in my efforts to provide for my children a good balance of discipline, focus, time management, and gradual autonomy for their own self-actualization. I can learn from Amy's successes and failures. The more I expose myself to others' experiences, different cultural values, and new scientific studies, the more I gain a clearer picture of a parenting path that is by no means easy or straightforward. I will still fail in some areas (as Amy admits she does), but most parents have good intentions that are complicated by their upbringing, flaws as an individual, and their inexperience. This book is an illustration of that. Anyone who says that they have parenting all figured out is a liar, delusional or hasn't raised a kid.

Any additional comments?

I appreciate Amy's honesty and willingness to collaborate with her family to capture their family dynamics and tell the true story. All families are weird to outsiders. I discovered this when I got married and thought my family was the normal one. I think it would be useful to see oneself through the eyes of family members too, to gain a greater knowledge of oneself. Many times I hope my loved ones will gloss over or forget my failings. Amy is brave to lay herself bare and see herself as her family sees her every day and in every circumstance. I also think the author is courageous to choose to weather public censure, judgment, and snarkiness to tell her honest and very human story. This is the most personally frank book I have ever read. It is not a "do-this-not-that" book. Amy presents her journey of motherhood (that is not yet complete at the time of publication) and lets you take away from it what you will.