Mr. Chen,

I had the pleasure of attending your lecture and buying your book when you visited Indiana University on March 9^th.  I read your book over our university$B!G(Bs spring break and wanted to take this opportunity to thank for telling your incredible story.  The stories that you told were so fascinating that I could not put down the book.

Beyond being a great story, I feel that your book offered insight into China that I have never gotten through my education.  I was continuously surprised with hardships the Chinese people faced and the similarities between how both China$B!G(Bs culture and United States$B!G(B culture have transformed through the years.  Background information that helps me understand China better is useful to me because I am trying to find work in China this summer so that I can travel there.  Becoming immersed in China will enable me to learn about the country and its people while gaining a greater understanding of similarities between American and Chinese culture.

As most interesting things do, your book opened up a sea of questions for me.  If you have time, I would like to ask you to answer two of my questions.  First, at the beginning of your book I was enchanted by how much respect everyone showed one another.  It reminded me of the respect I have seen in stories from the United States$B!G(B past but seen much less today.  Unfortunately, I feel that both U.S. and Chinese cultures have changed more to the slogan you mentioned on page 437 $B!H(BWe are looking forward to the money.$B!I(B  As a foreign student, how difficult do you feel that it would be to find people that are as well mannered and kind as those that I learned of through your book?  What about finding business partners who are as respectful and trustworthy as your father$B!G(Bs partners?  My girl friend, Yi Cai, has told me that I would be disadvantaged because I am American, tan skinned, and only 5$B!G(B6$B!G!G(B tall.  Second, if you don$B!G(Bt mind me asking a more personal question, have you learned anything further about Lifen$B!G(Bs daughter Melody? 

I am delighted to have had the chance to meet you, even for the short time that I was able to.  I regret that I am unable to meet such great men as your father and grandfather.  Again, thank you for sharing your wonderful story.