Now that I look back, I realize I should have read To The Edge of the Sky much sooner. But for some reason, it took me a year to get to it. I got it after I read a great review by a friend, but reading real stories from 20th century China is usually quite depressing, so maybe I just wasn't ready. Now I realize that reading about real life hardship can sometimes even help when you're down, because it puts things into perspective. And this book really does that. To the Edge of the Sky explores the depth of human existence in hardship, and it does it in such a down to earth way that you won't be able to pry yourself away. I stayed up to read it.

It's hard to fathom these things that happened while most of our parents were already alive, somewhere in another part of the world. It's hard to understand how or why such deliberate destruction of its own people, its own society made sense to the ruling class of China at that time. Its tragic, painful and hard to believe, but it has to be witnessed. And it can be witnessed by learning the stories of these people. To the Edge of the Sky is one of them. So if you think you've been suffering, read To the Edge of the Sky – it will humble you. It will make you see what happens, when basic kindness and empathy is removed from the equation. What seemingly little deeds may do, change in the long run – for the better or worse. History can be a warning to us. Let it be the warning.

There’s a whole bunch of other reasons why you should read this book, and you can read them all on my blog here in the full review. Triggers also included there (this book has a lot of them.)



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