Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China

by Leslie T. Chang
Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China cover
Good Books rating 4.33
Investigative Journalism
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  • ID: 4404
  • Added: 2025-10-21
  • Updated: 2025-10-21
  • ISBN: 9780385528528
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2008-10-07
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3

Factory Girls offers an intimate look into the lives of China's 130 million migrant workers, the largest migration in human history. Through the stories of two young women, Leslie T. Chang reveals the challenges and transformations they face as they move from rural villages to urban factories. The book explores the social and economic dynamics of this mass migration, highlighting the impact on individual lives and Chinese society as a whole. Chang's narrative is enriched with personal anecdotes and historical context, providing a deeper understanding of the forces driving this migration. From the bustling assembly lines to the quiet farming villages, Factory Girls paints a vivid picture of a society in flux, where education and opportunity can dramatically alter one's social standing.

Reviews
Hardcover · margauxyz · 2023-01-31
powerful 5.00

The book is a powerful and eye-opening account of the lives of migrant workers in modern-day China, earning a 5-star rating.

The reviewer is highly enthusiastic about the book, calling it a powerful and eye-opening account of the lives of migrant workers in modern-day China. They appreciate the author's ability to bring to light the struggles and triumphs of these individuals, making the book a compelling and emotional read. The reviewer commends the author for her thorough research and engaging narrative, making the book a standout read. The book's impact is such that it earns a 5-star rating, highlighting its exceptional quality and depth.

Quick quotes

    My first 5-star book of the year! Factory Girls is a powerful and eye-opening account of the lives of migrant workers in modern-day China.

    The author's ability to bring to light the struggles and triumphs of these individuals is commendable.

    The book's impact is such that it earns a 5-star rating, highlighting its exceptional quality and depth.

Books We Have Read · 2017-04-21
mixed 3.50

The book is well-researched and well-written, but the two parts do not blend together well, leading to a lack of cohesion.

The reviewer acknowledges the book's strengths in research and writing but notes that the two parts of the book do not blend seamlessly. This lack of cohesion can make the reading experience feel disjointed. Despite this, the book is praised for its depth of information and engaging narrative style. The reviewer suggests that a more integrated approach could have enhanced the overall impact of the book.

Quick quotes

    The two parts don't blend together and the reader often feels the lack of cohesion, although the book is well-researched and well-written.

    It is a compelling read that offers deep insights into the lives of migrant workers.

    A more integrated approach could have enhanced the overall impact of the book.

The New York Times · 2008-11-07
compassionate 4.50

The book provides a vivid and compassionate depiction of the daily lives, fears, and aspirations of migrant factory workers in China. It is praised for its deep insight into a previously untold story.

The reviewer highlights the exceptional vividness and compassion with which the book portrays the day-to-day dramas of migrant workers in China. They appreciate the author's ability to bring to light the fears and aspirations of these individuals, offering a previously untold story. The book is seen as a powerful account that sheds light on the human side of industrialization and urbanization in China. The reviewer commends the author for her thorough research and engaging narrative, making the book a compelling read.

Quick quotes

    The result is an exceptionally vivid and compassionate depiction of the day-to-day dramas, and the fears and aspirations, of the real people who ...

    Chang's book is a powerful and eye-opening account of the lives of migrant workers in modern-day China.

    The book sheds light on the human side of industrialization and urbanization in China.

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