Book Review: The Tiger Mom’s Tale

The Tiger Mom's Tale (July 6, 2021)5 stars Genre: Contemporary women's fiction/family/Asian American This book was soooo good. I loved the complexity with which Lyn Liao Butler draws the world where Lexa lives. All the characters are very intriguing. I admire how artfully the backstory and present timelines are woven together. I also really appreciate the difficult questions that Lexa reflects on and how they haunt her. This novel is very accurate in how it depicts reality, along … [Read more...]

Family Stories

"You are always welcome in a gathering." What I love about returning to Taiwan is seeing older relatives and hearing all their stories. Every time I go back, I feel like more family members come out of the woodwork. One day, we even had 23 people crammed in a house talking together. In honor of my first published book, THE 228 LEGACY, a lot of folks shared memories about The 228 Massacre (1947) and its aftermath. Here are a few interesting tidbits: An auntie remembered savoring the … [Read more...]

I’ve Got a Tiger Claw

"Courage is the hallmark of a warrior." When times are tough, I revert to childhood comforts. One of these is an actual physical object: my tiger claw. Given to me by my dad, this unique pendant passed down to him from my uncle. My dad's older brother was the quintessential tough guy--he loved getting into fist fights and showing off his martial arts skills. Sometimes I touch the claw and think of how tough my uncle was; it reminds me to be strong. Then I reflect on my dad, who was also … [Read more...]