Confessions of Madame Psyche: Memoirs and Letters of Mei-Li Murrow

By Dorothy Bryant

Book Overview

Mei-li Murrow, the illegitimate daughter of a Chinese prostitute and a white confidence man, is recreated as the medium "Madame Psyche" after she accidentally predicts the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Although she wins fame and fortune as a medium, Mei-li seeks a truer spirituality, and embarks on a pilgrimage that takes her to the death-soaked Europe of the First World War, to a utopian commune in the Santa Cruz Mountains in the 1920s, to Depression-era migrant work camps and cannery strikes, and finally to the Napa State Hospital, where she finds wisdom and peace among the outcasts of the asylum.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0931688140
• ISBN13: 9780931688140
• Release Date: January 1986
• Publisher: Ata Books
• Length: 376 Pages
• Weight: 1.01 lbs.

Customer Reviews

undescribable

This is one of the most beautifully written novels I have read in a long time. Selections from Confessions was assigned in a college philosophy class, and I had to go back and read the whole thing from beginning to end. Characterization was so complete and encapsulating that I was sad to leave Mei-Li at the end. Her journey becomes your own journey of selfdiscovery; what it means to be moral, human, a woman.

a lifetime exquisitely told

absorbing. the characters wouldn't let go of my mind. storytelling in its most refined form, spoken by voices rarely heard.

Beautifully written!

This was one of the best books I've read this year -- a most intriguing look at history of the turn of the century in the Bay Area, told by an extraordinary and unforgettable character.

A wonderful novel

This is a wonderful novel. It's rich with historical detail, beautifully written and moving. Intriguing, honest characters and great storytelling.

Incredible Depiction of early 20th Century

This book is a moving depiction of early 20th century America from a woman livng on the edge. Through poverty, world events, a dishonest occupation and a mental hospital she is a survivor. Always keeps you wondering if the story is fact or fiction. Either way, it's definitely a good read.