China's Son by Da Chen

Coming of age in China during the reign of Mao was not easy for the grandson of a landlord. His whole family was discriminated against because of its bourgeois history. Chen dropped out of school after having been tormented by class members indoctrinated He hung out with thugs who set up gambling scams. Then Mao died and China began to change. Chen could see that there might be opportunity for those who pursued education, so he buckled down and hit the books in preparation for nationwide tests. His family worked long hours and often went hungry in order to support his efforts. His struggles, set within a changing political situation, are fascinating.