Shoes in the River: The Story of "Feather"

More about the book

Shoes in the River is about an age-old custom of throwing one's shoes in the river when a heavy burden has been lifted, enabling a person to put on new shoes with the hope of walking into a happier life. The custom is real within China but veiled to the outside world. Although the characters are fictional, the issues and timeline are true to life as it really was within China starting in1972. The story focuses on one of the most important times in Chinese history - the years of the one-child-per-family edict. This edict had devastating effects on the country, the people in the country, and ultimately affected other countries in the Orient and around the world. It was eased (but not eliminated) in 2015 and again in 2020, but the effects of government trying to control population remain to this day.