Qin Xian-meng 's new book, Heartbeats and Heartaches: Memoirs of an Intellectual Family in China (1stBooks Library, 2003) , narrates the story of her family. The book provides a graphic and truthful picture of Chinese intellectuals who were victimized by the tyranny and gross irrationalities of a monolithic power. Ms. Qin's account begins from the late Qing Dynasty down through the Republican days; more specifically this memoir records the tumultuous years during the Mao era. It is a brave attempt to open a window for the English-speaking world to look into Chinese life and how Chinese people reacted when confronted with various social and political issues. Ms. Qin taught in Shanghai International Studies University in the People's Republic of China for 28 years. She came to United States as Visiting Professor/Researcher at the University of Michigan. Ms. Qin now lives with her daughter in San Jose, California, and sometimes visits her son in Los Angeles. (Source: 1stBooks Library news release)