"Your Book Touches Me on a Deep Level" -A Reader's Letter to Jennifer

by Valerie
   
 I am 46 years old and I read a lot. This is only the second time in my life where I tried to contact an author to tell her how much her book meant to me. 

 I picked up your book at my local library. I seem to like to read nonfiction books about other parts of the world. (since I don't always have the money to travel this is a cheap way to learn about the rest of the world.) I could not stop reading your book. I read it in 3 days. It really affected me on a deep level. I have always loved history especially when dealing with women. I also have always had the awareness of how different my life would have been if I was born in a different part of the world where women had less freedoms/ rights. 

 I LOVED your book! It touched me on a deep level. I had the idea that China had been better about human rights in recent times. I do not know where I got this idea, but your book told me this was wrong. I have a hard time thinking that these horrible abuses of human rights occur in modern, recent times. Next year I will be teaching special ed. government in our local high school. You can be assured that I will talk about your book in my classes. So many people here take many of our freedoms for granted and too many do not vote! 
   
After reading your book I have a few questions. 
     
Will you be going on any book signing tours in U.S? Is your husband still in China or has he been allowed to join you in Australia? What message would you give to my classroom of 10th graders most of whom are not interested in politics or government? Can you live in peace now or is the Chinese government still messing with you from afar? 
   
I think you are a very brave woman and I thank you for writing your book. I learned a lot from it. 

I wish you only the best and I hope you continue to write. 
     
    Valerie
    U.S.A.

US Edition of Jennifer's book Witnessing History.