Book Review: Tiananmen Exiles by Rowena Xiaoqing he

When we started to think about how to draft this book review, it was, as often is, difficult to know where to begin. Should we start with the historical background on the Tiananmen Massacre? Or should we provide a quick analysis of key elements of the book? Or perhaps we should rush in with a focus on the educational implications of the text, given the journal in which this piece appears. While all of these themes speak to the relevance and power of the book, and will be addressed throughout, we decided to begin where Rowena Xiaoqing He does—with the imagery one recalls when they hear the phrase “Tiananmen Square.”