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)

A Must-Read

This book was dynamic! As a born and raised Westerner, I was not in the least bit offended by anything Chua writes. I found her memoir to be entertaining, tragic, thought-provoking, and for the most part, victorious. My husband and I do not have children yet, but this book has given me ideas to revisit when we do start a family. I don't agree with every word Chua writes, but I now have a better understanding of Chinese culture and no longer think of their methods as severe, just different. I especially feel inspired to read more memoirs of parents from other cultures (Muslim, Hispanic, and African American especially).

This book is a must for guilty parents

I loved this book! I felt that being a former guilty parent this book inspired to continue the journey with my teenager with confidence!!!

Well written story about strict parenting.

The word, "yikes!" ran through my head almost constantly while I read this book. Mrs. Chua's strict parenting style seemed very extreme to me. She raised her children in a way I wouldn't, but I found the book captivating. I wanted to hear what methods she used to create accomplished children. I'd like to use some of her methods in a watered down version with my own kids. I wouldn't have gone to the lengths she did but she had many smart and valid points. If you want to hear a story about a strict Mother raising her accomplished children, this is it. It is well written.

insightful book!

I loved this audio so much, I keep listening to it over and over again. THis book really makes me wish my mother was a tiger mother. I wish I wasn't lazy in my youth, I could have been further in life had someone pushed me. We need more tiger mothers in the world!

Doing what we believe is best for our kids

Any additional comments?

We could argue what's best for our kids, but few of us have the discipline to really do what we think is the best as she does. She is not the type who only pushes her kids but doesn't try to excel at her own job. She is a well-respected Yale professor and loved by her students. In addition, whenever her other family members (mother-in-law, sister) needed her, she is really there for them too. I respect Amy Chua for that.

Loved!

Amy is an eloquent storyteller. I really enjoyed hearing the life of a tiger mom and the usage of chinese zodiac to depict temperament. This story is dynamic and real.

Enjoyed much more than expected

With all of the publicity that this book has received, I was somewhat interested in hearing it. I really expected this woman to be a militant, closed-minded person with no interest at all in the American way. It turns out to be an amazing story in which we are made to understand why she did the things she did and how this mom grew over the years. I was surprised when I found myself laughing out loud listening to some of the power struggles that started from the very early years of her daughters' lives. One thing is for sure, there really aren't many American moms with the level of commitment and endurance that this mother has. I'm hopeful that the daughters will write their own books from their perspectives later in their lives.

Needed another reader

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The author is a terrible narrator.

What did you like best about this story?

This book offered some valuable perspectives on a "non-Western" method of parenting. All parents could gain something from this perspective.

Would you be willing to try another one of Amy Chua’s performances?

No.

What else would you have wanted to know about Amy Chua’s life?

More about her spouse.

Any additional comments?

Parts of Chua's story and narration are bordering on offensive to Jewish traditions. Because she is a perfectionist, Chua's failure to learn how to pronounce easy words, like "haftarah," is a sign on how little she respects the Jewish tradition. Her delivery is so wooden, there are times when I couldn't even determine if she was being humorous. She unknowingly betrays a fault in the "Chinese" method of child-rearing in her inability to adjust for nuance in language. The worst part of this book is Chua's complete disregard for people outside an upper-middle class community. Her idea of struggling is when the whole family had to sleep in one hotel bed on their overseas trips. She admittedly doesn't enjoy introspection, but she also seems to avoid analyzing the community around her.

Absolutely love!

A woman who obviously loves her kids, is very determined, very funny, and tells it exactly like it actually is. Parenting...all out war, and love like nothing you’ve ever felt before.

Real Housewives- for the intelligentsia

The author is so blatantly hypocritical about her methods that it’s maddening from chapter 1 on. By the time her kids reach age 8 they are pointing out the same hypocritical flaws right along with the reader but it never stops Amy from an unshaken belief in her preformed conclusion that the „Chinese“ way of parenting (whatever that means) is best.

It is wildly entertaining with the author in love with the idea of what her parenting style is despite it changing and contradicting itself frequently. She purports expertise that she tells you herself she doesn’t have. On one hand she will tell you what Western parents are like without any example of this behavior and on the other speak for what „Chinese“ parents would never do (e.g. bribe a child) while later bribing her children.

If there is a lesson from her parenting success it looks to me like it is the fact that she is incredibly engaged with her children’s studies and musical practice. The rest of it is just a person being a meddling, overbearing, asshole. You’ll never convince me that calling your child a boring disgrace because they do not want to eat caviar has some sort of parenting value, it’s just something you see on the E network.

For all the hypocrisy, the story itself is great and it is no surprise that she has a way of drawing people's attention. She knows how to say things that are just annoying enough that you can’t help but make a commentary on them.

She starts out laughing at people who believe in astrology as fools and for a minute I’m laughing with her until she starts espousing the characteristics associated with her birth year according to the Chinese calendar (year of the Tiger). That’s the spot where you realize you thought someone was above the nonsense, but no, they just think other people’s nonsense is nonsense while their nonsense is profound. You crazy lady… I like you… but you crazy.