aDeLiNe YeN mAh...

Her Childhood...
Adeline Yen Mah was born on November 30th 1937 in Tainjin, China. As ayoung child, Adeline Yen Mah was considered bad luck because of hermother's death two weeks after her birth. Her father re-married about ayear later to a half-Chinese and half-French woman. Adeline lived in a bighouse in Tainjin with, her grandfather (YeYe), her grandmother (Nai Nai),her mother's close friend (Aunt Baba), her father (Joseph Yen), herstep-mother (Jeanne Virginie Prosperi, whom she refers to as Niang) hertwo step siblings (Fourth Brother and Younger Sister), her three brothers(Big Brother, 2nd Brother and 3rd Brother) and her older sister (BigSister).

Adeline did extremely well at her school, St Joseph’s. She studied hard toreceive a medal each week to gain her fathers recognition of her. Her father disappeared one day, along with her stepmother and her twostepsiblings. Whilst his disappearance, Adeline's grandmother died of amassive stroke.
Out of the blue, one and a half years later after he disappeared, hereturned to Tainjin and moved the whole family to Shanghai.
After living in Shanghai for years. Adeline loved her school and was very popular there. Unfortunately, her step mother Niang catches her secretly attending a birthday party and dumps her back in Tianjin at Boarding School.
After only afew months there, Adeline was the only student left. Everybody else had been taken away by their families because the Communists were invading Tianjin so they were fleeing while they could. Of course Adeline was forgotten about by her family but luckily Aunt Reine (Niangs sister) comes and rescues her and takes her to Hong Kong where all the rest of Adelines family were.
Adeline then attended boarding school in Hong Kong and then was allowed by her father to go to oxford university in England to study medicane.

Her Adult Life...
Adeline Yen Mah is now a Physician and a Writer. She is married to Robert Mah who is a Professor of Microbiology at UCLA. She has two children, her son is an anesthesiologist in Santa Monica and her daughter works in publishing in New York City.

About Her Books...
Her first book Falling Leaves was published in 1997. Falling Leaves is a true story about her childhood and her struggle for acceptance.New York Times Best Seller, it sold over one million copies worldwide and translated into 18 different languages. Chinese Cinderella was her second book, which is a children’s version of Falling Leaves. It was published in 1999 and sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. It received an award from Children’s Literature Council of Southern California in 2000 for Compelling Autobiography. It also received Lamplighter’s Award from National Christian School Association in June, 2002 for contribution to Exceptional Children’s Literature.Published in 2001, was her third book Watching The Tree about how a Chinese daughter reflects on happiness, spiritual beliefs and universal wisdom.Her fourth book, was A Thousand Pieces of Gold published in October 2002.Her latest book, Chinese Cinderella And The Secret Dragon Society is about how Ye Xian gets kicked out of her home and turns to her Grandma Wu and The Secret Dragon Society. She takes up the name of Chinese Cinderella and the society becomes her replacement family. She grows to appreciate the belief systems and way of life this new family offers her.

Brief Time Line...
-Adeline Yen Mah was born in Tianjin, China on 30 November 1937.
-Her mother died two weeks after her birth on 14 December 1937. Adeline was considered to be a source of bad luck by her family.
-Moved to Shanghai at a young age and then moved to Hongkong when she was11.
-In Hongkong, she won an international writing competition at age offourteen and moved to London, England.
-Graduated from London Hospital Medical School as a physician andspecialized in anesthesiology.
-Married, and had two children.
-First book Falling Leaves published in 1997.
- Second book Chinese Cinderella published in 1999 as children’s versionof falling leaves.
- Received award from Children’s Literature Council of Southern California in 2000 for Compelling Autobiography.
- Won Lamplighter’s Award from National Christian School Association in June, 2002 for contribution to Exceptional Children’s Literature.
-Third book Watching the tree published in 2001.
-Fourth book `A Thousand Pieces of Gold’ published in October, 2002.