The Un-death of Me

THE UN-DEATH OF ME is a life account and journey of an immigrant American woman. Avery Mingli Liang, a beauty queen and pageant winner, emigrated from Taipei to New York City circa 1990 attending Columbia University as an English Literature major.  She had complete control and command of the English language, but her accent and looks exposed her to extreme discrimination, stereotyping, and insensitivity. Her understanding of history and literature rivaled great minds, yet she couldn’t get past the fact she was alone, in a big city, unable to feel any level of self-worth, accomplishment, fulfillment, or true human connection. Upon becoming a member of a well-to-do established New York City family (by marriage), she struggled to create her own identity, and to escape the trappings of what a traditional woman and wife should be. Avery Mingli Liang embodied a story of an immigrant woman, whose life journey took her through not only various parts of the world, but also high society engagements, political intrigue, and betrayal. She bolted from an unhappy marriage and existence on the road to discovery, self-awareness, and enlightenment, only to witness further scandalous incidents of both the high and the low societies. Abbey Lori brought a fresh breath of air to Avery Mingli Liang’s life. Now Avery’s quest for happiness had an anchor. However, could they build on what they learned and sustain their happiness together? Or was their life together yet another futile pursuit of illusions and dreams? These were the questions Avery Mingli Liang sought to answer in order for her life to be fulfilled and come true.  Her story is one of a kind because she as the protagonist reveals a unique background and experience rarely found in the literary world.  While Ayaan Hirsi Ali (the Somali-born Dutch-American activist, author, and former Dutch politician) attracts wide attention and perhaps induces negative criticism to Islamic cultural limitations in her autobiography Infidel: My Life -- Alicia Su Lozeron's account of an Asian American immigrant woman in The Un-death of Me brings about celebrations on cultural differences as well as similarities. It embraces mankind and human endeavors, proposing balanced mindsets very much needed in today's polarized societies.