Overview
Mary Austin was a mayor's daughter who expected to live an uneventful life in Canada. But when she said ""I do"" to Jim Endicott she found that she had ""married China.""Thrust into extraordinary circumstances, but undeterred by the political turmoil around her in China, Mary Austin Endicott determined she would achieve the goals she set for herself. She bore and raised four children, ran a one-room school, and became the foster mother to three Chinese boys, despite the raised eyebrows of many of her fellow missionaries. Shirley Jane Endicott has presented us with a fascinating account of her mother's life, based on Mary Austin Endicott's private writings and flavoured with Shirley's memories. She brings to life the story of an exceptional woman whose life was shaped by profound political and historical circumstances.
Full Product Details
Author: Shirley Jane Endicott
Publisher: Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Imprint: Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 1.70cm
, Length: 23.90cm
Weight: 0.450kg
ISBN: 9780889204126
ISBN 10: 0889204128
Pages: 270
Publication Date: 30 January 2003
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
,
Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Out of stock
The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available.
Reviews
""While China Diary is about the life of a missionary wife in China, one doesn't need an interest in Chinese history or in the experiences of Canadian missionaries to thoroughly enjoy this biography of Mary Austin Endicott. During her life, Endicott was overshadowed by her husband, James (Jim) Endicott--a household name in 1950s Canada, when he was accused of treason for his anti-war, pro-Communist sympathies. This book pays homage to a woman who was an intellectual force in her own right.... Endicott was an accomplished storyteller, but her daughter has done a wonderful job of weaving her mother's letters with her unfinished memoir to create a well-organized and very readable book.... That her biography is also a fascinating window on the turbulence of early 20th-century China is icing on the cake."" -- Larissa Liepins -- Canadian Book Review Annual, 2006, 200702 ""This is an interesting portrayal of a talented and intelligent woman trying hard to negotiate a profession as treacherous as the Yangtse Gorges."" -- Janice Dickin, University of Calgary -- Canadian Ethnic Studies, 200409 ""China Diary is an engrossing, extraordinarily well-written account of a life with both personal and historical significance. For anyone who follows Canada's relations with China, or who is interested in the `wives of,' this is essential reading."" -- Lorna Marsden, President, York University ""China Diary is a daring book.... Mary Austin Endicott's early years couldn't prepare her for life with a missionary in China during the era of warlords and the invasion by the Japanese. The most satisfying sections are the harrowing stories of Mary establishing a home...and staying in love while birthing four children, starting a school, and living with the terrors of war, disease, poverty and beheadings. Mary's account of the bombing of Chungking is hair-raising...The author once wrote, `Within the family, stories about my father abound, while the life of my mother has faded like an old photograph.' She has restored the photo, and added colour. China Diary is a courageous book. I admire the author's compassion and honesty. I am glad she has provided Canadians with the story of a strong woman who worked for peace in all aspects of her life."" -- Caroyln Pogue -- The Observer, 200307 ""China Diary is a gripping story of a courageous woman in tumultuous times. It gives keen analysis and intimate personal details of a largely unknown story in Canadian history. It is well written, informative, and touches both heart and mind."" -- Bill Phipps, former Moderator, United Church of Canada ""A rich psychological portrait of a complicated inner life and a difficult relationship."" -- Carol C. Chin -- University of Toronto Quarterly--Letters in Canada 2003, Volume 74, number 1, 200510
China Diary is an engrossing, extraordinarily well-written account of a life with both personal and historical significance. For anyone who follows Canada's relations with China, or who is interested in the wives of, this is essential reading. Lorna Marsden, York University; China Diary is a gripping story of a courageous woman in tumultuous times. It gives keen analysis and intimate personal details of a largely unknown story in Canadian history. It is well written, informative, and touches both heart and mind. Bill Phipps, former Moderator, United Church of Canada
Author Information
Shirley Jane Endicott grew up in China, where her parents were missionaries. She taught sociology at the University of Toronto for thirteen years until 1978, when she became involved in educating the community about domestic violence.
