In 1935, at the age of two, Nona Mock was abandoned at the Ming Quong orphanage in Los Gatos, California. From that first, searing memory of seeing her mother walk out of her life forever, Mock turned grief into strength. Bamboo Women tells 21 inspiring stories of coming-of-age from the women of Ming Quong, a home for orphaned Chinese girls in the San Francisco Bay Area. Wyman introduces us to her "sisters" and how their bonds of love and friendship carried them through life, love, loss, career, and family. Praise for Bamboo Women: “Nona Mock Wyman tells an essential San Francisco Bay Area Chinatown story that has resided too long in the dark recesses of painful memories.” --William Wong, author of Yellow Journalist: Dispatches from Asian America "Beautifully and wrenchingly told, Bamboo Women is a courageous look into a little-known world, and an affirmation of the human spirit." --Karin Evans, author of The Lost Daughters of China “Compelling.” --Ben Fong Torres, author of The Rice Room: Growing Up Chinese-American from Number Two Son to Rock 'n' Roll

Bamboo Women: Stories from Ming Quong, a Chinese Orphanage in California

Biographies & Memoirs

Wyman, Nona Mock

Community & Culture

Long River Press

From the author of the award-winning book, Chopstick Childhood-in a Town of Silver Spoons and its sequel, Bamboo Women, comes the next phase of Nona Mock Wyman’s life In 1935, two year old Nona Mock Wyman was abandoned at the Ming Quong Home, a Chinese girl’s orphanage in Los Gatos, California. Now, eighty-two year old Nona captures her life (after the orphanage) in Walnut Creek, California. Ten Thousand Flowers is told with honesty and truth, sprinkled with refreshing humor. It captures fascinating stories and lessons learned emanating from the forty-seven years as the owner of Ming Quong, a store in suburban Walnut Creek dating back to the 1960’s. Simply told, Nona’s memoirs are written in ‘haibun’ form (prose with haiku). Haiku and tanka (poems) from Nona, customers and friends are included, adding a twist of fresh air and a feeling of Spring. History is recorded with stories of Walnut Creek’s bustling growth. Free ‘trolley’ buses resembling San Francisco’s famous landmarks are now in operation. The conductor, a Ming Quong customer, will ding the bell and point out the store, proclaiming to her riders that ‘Ming Quong’ is the oldest existing store on Main Street and named one of the ‘7 Wonders of the East Bay.’

Ten Thousand Flowers: After the Orphanage

Memoirs

dvs Publishing

This new edition includes 8 new haibun/ chapters, a haiga with picture, more haiku, and web-links to an interview and a video. In 1935, two year old Nona Mock Wyman was abandoned at the Ming Quong Home, a Chinese girl’s orphanage in Los Gatos, California. Now, eighty-three year old Nona captures her life (after the orphanage) in Walnut Creek, California. Ten Thousand Flowers is told with honesty and truth, sprinkled with refreshing humor. It captures fascinating stories and lessons learned emanating from the forty-seven years as the owner of Ming Quong, a store in suburban Walnut Creek dating back to the 1960’s. Simply told, Nona’s memoirs are written in ‘haibun’ form (prose with haiku). Haiku from Nona, customers and friends are included. History is recorded with stories of Walnut Creek’s bustling growth. ‘Ming Quong’ is the oldest existing store on Main Street and named one of the '7 Wonders of the East Bay.'

Ten Thousand Flowers: Stories From the New Ming Quong

Left by her mother at the Ming Quong Orphanage for Chinese girls in Los Gatos, CA in 1935, two and a half year old Nona was the youngest girl there. This memoir tells the story of Nona's childhood and the lifelong friendships made with her new family.

Chopstick Childhood: In a Town of Silver Spoons

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Wyman, Nona Mock. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Wyman, Nona Mock

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Wyman, Nona Mock. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Bamboo Women: Stories from Ming Quong, a Chinese Orphanage in California

Ten Thousand Flowers: After the Orphanage

Ten Thousand Flowers: Stories From the New Ming Quong

Chopstick Childhood: In a Town of Silver Spoons