Parents need to know that Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts is considered a work of creative nonfiction, as it blends memoir with folk tales and second-hand history. The author focuses on memories of her own family life in Stockton, CA, and the folk legends and family histories her mother told about life in China. Since its 1975 release, the book has been somewhat controversial for its portrayal of Chinese-Americans as sexist and superstitious. However, it remains a provocative point of departure, especially in high school history and literature classes, to explore themes from racial stereotypes, sexism, and the assimilation of Chinese people into American culture, to what constitutes a memoir. There are a few brief sexual references and instances of moderate alcohol consumption, as well as several graphic descriptions of violence against animals and people. Woman Warrior received a National Book Critics Circle Award for general nonfiction in 1976.
