.Two kinds by Amy Tan

a selection from being people an anthology, edited by Thomas Kral

"Two Kinds", set in San Francisco, is a wonderful story about a young girl's coming of age in a family that has recently emigrated from China.

Amy Tan tells the story from the point of view of an adult looking back on her own childhood experiences. This gives the story a rich double perspective, allowing both the hindsight and judgment of a mature woman, and also, for much of the story, the freshness and innocence of a young person trying to discover her own identity.

The way in which Amy Tan orchestrates these shifting points of view is one of the pleasures of reading the story.