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Chasing Hepburn: A Memoir of Shanghai, Hollywood, and a Chinese Family's Fight for Freedom
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Plot Summary of Chasing Hepburn: A Memoir of Shanghai, Hollywood, and a Chinese Family's Fight for Freedom
"Gus Lee embarks on a massive endeavor: recounting the story of his parents' lives and how their lives were influenced by their parents. Starting with his ancestors, Lee simultaneously tells the story of 19th and 20th Century China.

No details are varinshed over. Lee had a family member who was an opium addict who squandered what wealth his and his wife's family had. The family relationships are very entertwined as many generations live under the same roof. The inter-familial conflicts are many. Lee's father was remote and distant, but he had led a difficult life and his career in the military was not any easier. However, the Lee family was respected and in a position to know many political figures that shaped Chinese political events. As World War II approaches, Lee's father is in a position to visit the United States. One of his favorite actresses is Katherine Hepburn, whom he meets on one of his visits.

In recounting these stories from his parents, it is clear that Lee is attempting to better understand his father and mother, their relationship with each other, and how their lives affected their youngest child and only son."

ldpaulson, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Chasing Hepburn: A Memoir of Shanghai, Hollywood, and a Chinese Family's Fight for Freedom
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Ethnic/Relig. of subject (inside) - Chinese
Ethnic/regional/gender Yes
ethnic of society (outside) - American (west coast)
Period of greatest activity? - 1900+

Subject of Biography
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - airforce pilot
Age: - long lived adults
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
Ethnicity - Chinese
Nationality - Chinese
How sensitive is this person? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 4 ()
United States Yes
The US: - California
Asia/Pacific Yes
Asian country: - China
Misc setting - Fancy Mansion
Century: - 1930's-1950's

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - very explicit references to deaths and torture
Book makes you feel? - concerned
What kind of sex: - vague references - descript of kissing
Writer's slant towards subject: - neutral
Story of entire life, or part? - story of nearly entire life
Is this a biography of several people? Yes
Autobiography? Yes
Pictures/Illustrations? - A ton 16-20 B&W
How much dialogue in bio? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
A LOT of info about personal vices? Yes
Lot of titilating info about love life? Yes
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life? - 76%-100% of book
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