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)

eye-opening motivating book with a surprise ending

The book is spectacularly written. It is insightful while entertaining. Inspiring. This audio version, read by the author, is wonderfully read with passion.

This highly controversial book is quickly dismissed by some based on personal beliefs. While the author seems to be uncompromising in her child-rearing philosophy, the ending is sure to surprise you. Even the most disgruntled readers should stick through it to the end.

Honest and Sincere

I loved listening to this book. Amy Chua did a fine job narrating but her story told through a mother's eyes was delightful. She gave a very good perspective on the expectations for families that have immigrated and explained how their work ethic is like none that I know. After reading this book, I have been enlightened and motivated to take some of her experiences with me and apply them. Amy Chua is talented and her family follows.

loved it

I'm so glad I got the book read by the author. She gave a lot of understanding of Chinese culture and of mothers. I listened every chance I got.

Not the first child

The book was an interesting read with identifiable characters and situations. It shares the mother's perspective and story about using a parenting style that is not dominant in the western main stream.

Tiger Mom is ferocious

I’ve been curious about this book for years and it didn’t disappoint. The comparisons between Chinese and “Western” parenting were interesting, but after awhile it felt insulting and it made me wonder why she was in America still if she hated it so much, LOL. But, some of her parenting methods are great and I think some Americans could definitely learn from.

Listening made a difference

The author read the, hopefully the way she meant it to be read so the nuances of meaning comes through. There's a complexity that may not come through reading it because some of the beliefs, values, and behaviors describe may be very out of the norm in US society.

you may identify with the book....

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

This sits in the middle of my list but I really identify with the "eastern" way of raising a child since that is how I was raised.

Any additional comments?

If you had a traditional "eastern" parent then you will really identify with this book. If you have had close friends as a child who where Asian then you will see a lot of familiar things with their parents.

Sharing a Unique Cultural Perspective

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Without a doubt would share them with others, as it is engaging and is a real story. You can feel the emotion and authenticity from Amy Chua as she shares her journey.

Who was your favorite character and why?
The book is written from Amy Chua's perspective and she often shares insight of what she was thinking and what was going on with her internally. I loved this self-reflection and understanding that she shared and really felt connected with her.

What about Amy Chua’s performance did you like?
The authenticity shone through with Amy Chua's performance of the book. You could hear the emotion and love for her children and for her children's progress through the entire story.

Really fun!

I got so trapped in the story, I was a nice story of struggling with good outcomes.

all's well that end well

moments of laughter and horror in the motherly honesty chua shares with her daughters and with readers about herself.