"A story of a woman caring for her parents with as much filial piety as she can muster... Cary's journey through caretaking is paralleled by a deepening of her understanding of Confucianism, her parents' religion. A deep examination of what it means to see one's parents through the end of life, Li's book is also in many ways the story of a woman coming to grips with her heritage. An affecting look at caring for aging parents and a story of the nuances of Chinese culture."- Kirkus Reviews kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/veronica-li/confucius-says/
"In this era of unprecedented longevity, this story of caregiving for elderly parents is most timely. While love for parents is a natural instinct, the Chinese codify it with a set of written guidelines. Through a humorous and entertaining story, the author uncovers the universal truths in Confucius' teachings and applies them to a modern-day family."
--Yong Ho, co-chair, Renwen Society of the China Institute
"Veronica Li's Confucius Says is a wonderfully engaging book about a tough topic. With good humor and warmth, she takes us on an emotional epic journey of one family's experience with caregiving, providing insightful wisdom about how cultural values color our relationships. A must-read for anyone with elderly parents, but especially for all Asian Americans."
--Gil Asakawa, Asian American Journalists Association AARP Fellow
"I laughed my way in and cried my way out of this book. By turns hilarious and searing, mystery novel and textbook on aging, at its core this is a love story. As one of many who have taken on the task of caring for parents till the end, I'm deeply moved by this book."
--Vilma Seeberg, Director, China Studies and Education Project, Kent State University
"Confucius Says is a poignant portrayal of a Chinese family's adherence to filial piety and the impact of this tradition on everyone in the family (including the dog). The author captures eloquently the emotional roller coaster of parental caregiving--a ride that whizzes through the terrors of aging and dying interspersed with the exhilaration of love, life and liberation. Humor is sprinkled throughout the book, facilitating the reader's acceptance of the full range of emotions associated with this undertaking."
--Ginny Gong, host of TV talk show Ginny's...Where East Meets West
"In this era of unprecedented longevity, this story of caregiving for elderly parents is most timely. While love for parents is a natural instinct, the Chinese codify it with a set of written guidelines. Through a humorous and entertaining story, the author uncovers the universal truths in Confucius' teachings and applies them to a modern-day family."
--Yong Ho, co-chair, Renwen Society of the China Institute
"Veronica Li's Confucius Says is a wonderfully engaging book about a tough topic. With good humor and warmth, she takes us on an emotional epic journey of one family's experience with caregiving, providing insightful wisdom about how cultural values color our relationships. A must-read for anyone with elderly parents, but especially for all Asian Americans."
--Gil Asakawa, Asian American Journalists Association AARP Fellow
"I laughed my way in and cried my way out of this book. By turns hilarious and searing, mystery novel and textbook on aging, at its core this is a love story. As one of many who have taken on the task of caring for parents till the end, I'm deeply moved by this book."
--Vilma Seeberg, Director, China Studies and Education Project, Kent State University
"Confucius Says is a poignant portrayal of a Chinese family's adherence to filial piety and the impact of this tradition on everyone in the family (including the dog). The author captures eloquently the emotional roller coaster of parental caregiving--a ride that whizzes through the terrors of aging and dying interspersed with the exhilaration of love, life and liberation. Humor is sprinkled throughout the book, facilitating the reader's acceptance of the full range of emotions associated with this undertaking."
--Ginny Gong, host of TV talk show Ginny's...Where East Meets West