Synopses & Reviews
andldquo;Bamboo is flexible, bending with the wind but never breaking, capable of adapting to any circumstance. It suggests resilience, meaning that we have the ability to bounce back even from the most difficult times. . . . Your ability to thrive depends, in the end, on your attitude to your life circumstances. Take everything in stride with grace, putting forth energy when it is needed, yet always staying calm inwardly.andrdquo; andmdash;Ping Fuandrsquo;s andldquo;Shanghai Papaandrdquo;and#160;Ping Fu knows what itandrsquo;s like to be a child soldier, a factory worker, and a political prisoner. To be beaten and raped for the crime of being born into a well-educated family. To be deported with barely enough money for a plane ticket to a bewildering new land. To start all over, without family or friends, as a maid, waitress, and student.and#160;Ping Fu also knows what itandrsquo;s like to be a pioneering software programmer, an innovator, a CEO, and
Inc. magazineandrsquo;s Entrepreneur of the Year. To be a friend and mentor to some of the best-known names in techandshy;nology. To build some of the coolest new products in the world. To give speeches that inspire huge crowds. To meet and advise the president of the United States.and#160;It sounds too unbelievable for fiction, but this is the true story of a life in two worlds.and#160;Born on the eve of Chinaandrsquo;s Cultural Revolution, Ping was separated from her family at the age of eight. She grew up fighting hunger and humiliation and shielding her younger sister from the teenagers in Maoandrsquo;s Red Guard. At twenty-five, she found her way to the United States; her only resources were $80 in travelerandrsquo;s checks and three phrases of English: thank you, hello, and help.and#160;Yet Ping persevered, and the hard-won lessons of her childhood guided her to success in her new homeandshy;land. Aided by her well-honed survival instincts, a few good friends, and the kindness of strangers, she grew into someone she never thought sheandrsquo;d beandmdash;a strong, independent, entrepreneurial leader. A love of problem solving led her to computer science, and Ping became part of the team that created NCSA Mosaic, which became Netscape, the Web browser that forever changed how we access information. She then started a company, Geomagic, that has literally reshaped the world, from personalizing prosthetic limbs to repairandshy;ing NASA spaceships.and#160;
Bend, Not Break depicts a journey from imprisonment to freedom, and from the dogmatic anticapitalism of Maoandrsquo;s China to the high-stakes, take-no-prisoners world of technology start-ups in the United States. It is a tribute to one womanandrsquo;s courage in the face of cruelty and a valuable lesson on the enduring power of resilience.
Review
and#8220;She tells her story with intelligence, verve and a candor that is often heart-rending....Her life story is moving and inspiring. Like the people who gave her a helping hand, she is generous to share it with us.and#8221;
and#8212;The Wall Street Journal
and#8220;In this outstanding testament to the resilience of the human spirit, Ping takes readers on a journey both heartbreaking and inspiring . . . Pingand#8217;s eloquent prose and remarkable attitude shine through in every word.and#8221;
and#8212;PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)
and#160;
and#8220;An inspiring story . . . the book reflects the tone of its
Synopsis
Born on the eve of Chinas Cultural Revolution, Ping Fu was separated from her family at the age of eight. She grew up fighting hunger and humiliation and shielding her younger sister from the teenagers in Maos Red Guard. At twenty-five, she found her way to the United States; her only resources were $80 and a few phrases of English.
Yet Ping persevered, and the hard-won lessons of her childhood guided her to success in her new homeland. Aided by her well-honed survival instincts, a few good friends, and the kindness of strangers, she grew into someone she never thought shed bea strong, independent, entrepreneurial leader.
She tells her story with intelligence, verve and a candor that is often heart-rending.”
The Wall Street Journal
This well-written tale of courage, compassion, and undaunted curiosity reveals the life of a genuine hero.”
Booklist (starred review)
Her success at the American Dream is a real triumph.”
The New York Post
Synopsis
Born on the eve of Chinaand#8217;s Cultural Revolution, Ping Fu was separated from her family at the age of eight. She grew up fighting hunger and humiliation and shielding her younger sister from the teenagers in Maoand#8217;s Red Guard. At twenty-five, she found her way to the United States; her only resources were $80 and a few phrases of English.
Yet Ping persevered, and the hard-won lessons of her childhood guided her to success in her new homeland. Aided by her well-honed survival instincts, a few good friends, and the kindness of strangers, she grew into someone she never thought sheand#8217;d beand#151;a strong, independent, entrepreneurial leader.
and#147;She tells her story with intelligence, verve and a candor that is often heart-rending.and#8221;
and#151;The Wall Street Journal
and#147;This well-written tale of courage, compassion, and undaunted curiosity reveals the life of a genuine hero.and#8221;
and#151;Booklist (starred review)
and#147;Her success at the American Dream is a real triumph.and#8221;
and#151;The New York Post
About the Author
Ping Fu is the founder and CEO of Geomagic, a 3D digital reality solution company. She earned an M.S. in computer science at the University of Illinois and worked at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and ATandT Bell Labs. She is a member of President Obamaandrsquo;s National Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship and a board member of Long Now Foundation. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
MeiMei Fox is an author and book editor who also blogs regularly for the Huffington Post.