Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

A conversation brought up the term "Tiger Mother."  It wasn't something, I was familiar with and since the conversation was of a serious nature, I didn't want to interrupt and ask for an explanation. This sent me on a quest to find out what this term was. What it meant. As a result of this, I came across, Amy Chua's novel, "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother."

Amy Chua is a self proclaimed, "Tiger Mother." She wants nothing but the very best for her two daughters and will sacrifice anything to make it happen. She has a list of rules, that must be followed, no exceptions. She expects dedication and hard work. She pushes her daughters to practice harder, study more and be the very best

Chua's parenting style is at times extreme. She yells and demands perfection, she makes her children practice their instruments for hours, even while on vacation! They aren't allowed to go on play dates, sleepovers or participate in school activities, such as plays. Amy pushes her daughters to excel, sometimes to the extreme, yet someone how she has managed to form strong bonds and put them on the path to success.

Amy Chua is brutally honest and casts herself as the villain. She is intelligent and at times humorous. Her book is well written and easy to read. I don't necessarily agree with many of her parenting styles but I think a lot of western parents could learn from some of her techniques. You don't need to be Chinese or a parent to appreciate this memoir.

Grade: A