Bette Bao Lord (Chinese: 包柏漪, Pinyin: Bāo Bóyì; born November 3, 1938) is a Chinese-born American writer and civic activist for human rights and democracy.
Lord was born as Bette Bao in Shanghai, China. With her mother and father, Dora and Sandys Bao, and her younger sister, Cathy Bao, she came to the United States at the age of eight when her father, a British-trained engineer, was sent there in 1946 by the Chinese government to purchase equipment. In 1949 Bette Bao Lord and her family were stranded in the United States when Mao Zedong and his communist rebels won the civil war in China.
Bette Bao Lord has written eloquently about her childhood experiences as a Chinese immigrant in the post-World War II United States in her autobiographical children's book In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson. In this book she describes her efforts to learn English and to become accepted by her classmates and how she succeeds with the help of baseball and Jackie Robinson.
Lord worked as Assistant to the Director at the East-West Center in Hawaii, and as program officer at the Fulbright Program for professors in Washington, D.C.[1]
In 1962, as refugees surged into Hong Kong, Bette's mother, Dora Bao, conceived and carried out a plan to get her third daughter, nicknamed Sansan (Putonghua, Sānsān, "Threethree")[2] (Jean Bao) out of the People's Republic of China. Bette's book, Eighth Moon, written with Sansan's help, tells Sansan's story.[3] Sansan was a bridesmaid at Bette's wedding to Winston Lord, a Foreign Service Officer.[1]
Winston became a principal adviser to Henry Kissinger on relations with the PRC, and in 1973, he and Bette had a visit with her family in the PRC, a visit which inspired Bette to write Spring Moon.[4]
Spring Moon (1981), which spans the times from pre-revolutionary China to Nixon's visit, was an international bestseller and American Book Award nominee for best first novel. The Middle Heart (1996) spans 70 years of modern Chinese history, ending in 1989 with the student-led demonstrations at Tiananmen Square. Her children's book, In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, has become a classic used in schools nationwide. Her true stories of Chinese people, Legacies: A Chinese Mosaic, was also a bestseller and chosen by Time as one of the five best non-fiction works of the year. Ms. Lord's works have received numerous awards and been translated into 15–20 languages.
Bette Bao Lord is a recipient of seven honorary degrees (including Notre Dame, Tufts, and Pepperdine) and many awards as author, democracy advocate and outstanding immigrant. These include the USIA Award for Outstanding Contributions. President Clinton in 1998 presented her the first Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights and hailed her as "someone who writes so powerfully about the past and is working so effectively to shape the future".
Personal life
Lord is married to Winston Lord, former U.S. Ambassador to China. She has two children, Elizabeth Pillsbury Lord and Winston Bao Lord.[5]
Selected works
External video
Booknotes interview with Lord on Legacies: A Chinese Mosaic, May 27, 1990, C-SPAN[6]
Eighth Moon: The True Story of a Young Girl’s Life in Communist China, by [Bao] Sansan as told to Bette Lord [a story about the escape of Bette's youngest sister], New York: Harper & Row, 1964.
Spring Moon: A Novel of China, New York: Harper & Row, 1981, ISBN0060148934.
Legacies: A Chinese Mosaic, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, distributed by Random House, 1990.
The Middle Heart, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, distributed by Random House, 1996.
Exploring Realistic Fiction (Literature and Writing), by Bette Bao Lord, Jayne Pettit, Lael Littke, and Donna Perrone, New York: Scholastic, 1999.
References
^ ab[Bao] Sansan and Bette Bao Lord (1964/1966), Eighth Moon: The True Story of a Young Girl's Life in Communist China, reprint, New York: Scholastic, "About the Authors", p. 153.
^"sān", in Collins Chinese Concise Dictionary (2006), New York: HarperCollins.
^[Bao] Sansan and Bette Bao Lord (1964/1966), Eighth Moon: The True Story of a Young Girl's Life in Communist China, reprint, New York: Scholastic, Afterword, p. 149.
^Bette Bao Lord (1981/1982), Spring Moon, reprint, New York: Avon, p. [465].
^"imdb.com Lisa Lord". IMDb. Retrieved Nov 23, 2016.
^"Legacies: A Chinese Mosaic". C-SPAN. May 27, 1990. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
Further reading
Mary Virginia Fox (1993), Bette Bao Lord: Novelist and Chinese Voice for Change, Chicago: Children's Press.
bette, lord, chinese, 包柏漪, pinyin, bāo, bóyì, born, november, 1938, chinese, born, american, writer, civic, activist, human, rights, democracy, chinese, 包柏漪born, 1938, november, 1938, shanghai, republic, chinanationalityamericanalma, matertufts, universityoccu. Bette Bao Lord Chinese 包柏漪 Pinyin Bao Boyi born November 3 1938 is a Chinese born American writer and civic activist for human rights and democracy Bette Bao LordChinese 包柏漪Born 1938 11 03 November 3 1938 age 84 Shanghai Republic of ChinaNationalityAmericanAlma materTufts UniversityOccupation s Novelist short story writer civic activistSpouseWinston LordChildren2ParentDora Bao mother RelativesCathy Bao Bean sister Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Selected works 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksEarly life EditLord was born as Bette Bao in Shanghai China With her mother and father Dora and Sandys Bao and her younger sister Cathy Bao she came to the United States at the age of eight when her father a British trained engineer was sent there in 1946 by the Chinese government to purchase equipment In 1949 Bette Bao Lord and her family were stranded in the United States when Mao Zedong and his communist rebels won the civil war in China Bette Bao Lord has written eloquently about her childhood experiences as a Chinese immigrant in the post World War II United States in her autobiographical children s book In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson In this book she describes her efforts to learn English and to become accepted by her classmates and how she succeeds with the help of baseball and Jackie Robinson Lord went to public schools in Brooklyn and New Jersey She earned a B A in Political Science at Tufts University in 1959 and a master s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1960 Career EditLord worked as Assistant to the Director at the East West Center in Hawaii and as program officer at the Fulbright Program for professors in Washington D C 1 In 1962 as refugees surged into Hong Kong Bette s mother Dora Bao conceived and carried out a plan to get her third daughter nicknamed Sansan Putonghua Sansan Threethree 2 Jean Bao out of the People s Republic of China Bette s book Eighth Moon written with Sansan s help tells Sansan s story 3 Sansan was a bridesmaid at Bette s wedding to Winston Lord a Foreign Service Officer 1 Winston became a principal adviser to Henry Kissinger on relations with the PRC and in 1973 he and Bette had a visit with her family in the PRC a visit which inspired Bette to write Spring Moon 4 Spring Moon 1981 which spans the times from pre revolutionary China to Nixon s visit was an international bestseller and American Book Award nominee for best first novel The Middle Heart 1996 spans 70 years of modern Chinese history ending in 1989 with the student led demonstrations at Tiananmen Square Her children s book In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson has become a classic used in schools nationwide Her true stories of Chinese people Legacies A Chinese Mosaic was also a bestseller and chosen by Time as one of the five best non fiction works of the year Ms Lord s works have received numerous awards and been translated into 15 20 languages In addition to chairing Freedom House Ms Lord has served on many other boards including the Newseum The Freedom Forum the international U S Agency for Global Media the Council on Foreign Relations and WNET Bette Bao Lord is a recipient of seven honorary degrees including Notre Dame Tufts and Pepperdine and many awards as author democracy advocate and outstanding immigrant These include the USIA Award for Outstanding Contributions President Clinton in 1998 presented her the first Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights and hailed her as someone who writes so powerfully about the past and is working so effectively to shape the future Personal life EditLord is married to Winston Lord former U S Ambassador to China She has two children Elizabeth Pillsbury Lord and Winston Bao Lord 5 Selected works EditExternal video Booknotes interview with Lord on Legacies A Chinese Mosaic May 27 1990 C SPAN 6 Eighth Moon The True Story of a Young Girl s Life in Communist China by Bao Sansan as told to Bette Lord a story about the escape of Bette s youngest sister New York Harper amp Row 1964 Spring Moon A Novel of China New York Harper amp Row 1981 ISBN 0060148934 In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson New York Harper amp Row 1984 Legacies A Chinese Mosaic New York Alfred A Knopf distributed by Random House 1990 The Middle Heart New York Alfred A Knopf distributed by Random House 1996 Exploring Realistic Fiction Literature and Writing by Bette Bao Lord Jayne Pettit Lael Littke and Donna Perrone New York Scholastic 1999 References Edit a b Bao Sansan and Bette Bao Lord 1964 1966 Eighth Moon The True Story of a Young Girl s Life in Communist China reprint New York Scholastic About the Authors p 153 san in Collins Chinese Concise Dictionary 2006 New York HarperCollins Bao Sansan and Bette Bao Lord 1964 1966 Eighth Moon The True Story of a Young Girl s Life in Communist China reprint New York Scholastic Afterword p 149 Bette Bao Lord 1981 1982 Spring Moon reprint New York Avon p 465 imdb com Lisa Lord IMDb Retrieved Nov 23 2016 Legacies A Chinese Mosaic C SPAN May 27 1990 Retrieved March 26 2017 Further reading EditMary Virginia Fox 1993 Bette Bao Lord Novelist and Chinese Voice for Change Chicago Children s Press External links EditBiography Archived 2012 07 29 at the Wayback Machine Interview with Bette Bao Lord at the Wayback Machine archived June 14 2011 Humanities magazine National Endowment for the Humanities November 2005 issue Appearances on C SPAN Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bette Bao Lord amp oldid 1128729083, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
