• Red Scarf Girl

  • A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution
  • By: Ji-li Jiang
  • Narrated by: Christina Moore
  • Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (649 ratings)

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Red Scarf Girl  By  cover art

Red Scarf Girl

By: Ji-li Jiang
Narrated by: Christina Moore
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Publisher's summary

Twelve-year-old Ji-li Jiang has brains, friends, and a bright future. Then Mao Zedong launches China’s infamous Cultural Revolution. Soon school is suspended and students are getting caught up in the fervor of Mao’s extreme politics. When Ji-li’s family is accused of capitalist crimes, all of her beautiful dreams burst like soap bubbles. Because Ji-li’s grandfather was a landlord, her family is harassed and humiliated. Their home is searched, and they live in constant fear. Nonetheless, Ji-li remains loyal to her beloved Chairman Mao and endeavors to "reform her ideology". But with her father’s detention, Ji-li is faced with the most difficult choice of her life.

Told with simple grace, this is the true story of a family’s courage in one of the most terrifying eras of modern history. Christina Moore’s moving narration makes the Jiang family’s saga unforgettable.

©1997 Ji-li Jiang (P)1999 Recorded Books

What listeners say about Red Scarf Girl

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Story
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

compelling story

I downloaded this book to.listen on my commutes - the book had been one my 10th grade daughter assigned readings for her World History class. I wanted to learn more.about China's history as much as I wanted to help my daughter with her schoolwork. Jiang Ji-Li really brings to life with her personal experiences what it was like to live during the Cultural Revolution. Christina Moore did an amazing storytelling job - she.did a remarkable job of capturing the tone and personas of Miss.Jiang's characters.. Definitely one of my best downloads yet.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

very well written, but very sad.

I struggled to finish it because of the pain in the book. I would not read it if you internalize things deeply. I always picture myself as the main person in a book so even as an adult I had graphic nightmares after I listened to it. Death, murder, graphic suicide, main characters thoughts of suicide, abuse, assault, starvation, family separation, wrongful imprisonment.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Hearing this story made me feel so many things, happiness and anger. Sadness and loss. It made me cry and hope for better things to come for the family. And I really couldn't believe what I was hearing most of the time, I am a 14 year old girl in 2017 and hearing the struggle that Ji-li Jiang went though shook me to my core. Amazing writing, and thank you for sharing your story Ji-li. Thank you.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

SOOOOOOO FRUSTRATING!!!

If you could sum up Red Scarf Girl in three words, what would they be?

FRUSTRATING!!!
Angering.
Revealing.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Stress, then relief.

What about Christina Moore’s performance did you like?

I liked the emotions she expressed in the reading.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

See the frightening exposure of Mao's Communist China.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Weird mouth sounds

This was the first book from this app that I’ve had an issue with. The reader literally stops every few seconds to swallow and makes weird mouth sounds with her spit. It’s completely distracting as well as disgusting.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

My Review

The book is intense and I do not recommend for kids below 4th grade. Bye!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Feeling of not a full story

I have read many other books on China and the cultural revolution and I feel as if this book left me hanging as if not all of the story was told. She did tell what happened in the end, but felt right before this she abruptly ended the story. Still a decent book, but could have been longer based on the story she was communicating.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Prophetic view for American Left

There are so many similarities to what is happening in America today. Here’s to hoping the current “thought police” and “fact checkers” get their just due.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Hard but worth it

The story was painful for me to hear, especially considering what is going on right now in the United States of America, but I am so glad I stuck with it until the end. The performance of the narrator was fabulous the writing was compelling and the lessons learned are invaluable.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting History Story

I did enjoy following this storyline although it was tough to hear how cold-hearted the Mao Regime was to everyone who didn’t fit their concept of the perfect Mao follower, young and old alike. I did have some difficulty listening to this narrator as she swallowed often. It was distracting. I’m glad my teens and I have taken the time to learn a first-person account of this sad time in history.

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2 people found this helpful