The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Father's Gold Secret: 1949
Because Father's Gold Secret was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
Ekta Kumari
The book is a heavily researched account of the Chinese Civil War and the US gold aid that was given to China. The author also presents the facts based on his study of his father's diaries. I wasn't going to sample or read this book solely based on its genre, as I'm not much into historical fictions. However, this is an engaging read for those who are into the history of the Chinese Civil War. The thing I liked the most was actually the presentation of data and historical records. I noticed that the narrative is also supplemented with maps and pictures. The part that explained about the Japanese aggression in China was also an insightful read. The author doesn't forget to mention his sources as well, which I really admire. As the book is quite heavy on data and research, I wouldn't suggest it to anyone who isn't into the main historical themes the book represents. And this lack of interest in the central subject is the main reason I won't be reading the whole book. I saw an official OBC review that was useful in increasing my understanding of this book. I wasn't able to find any grammatical errors and would rate the book as professionally edited. Based on the sample, I believe there's nothing that can be suggested for further improvement.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 7:30 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Manang Muyang
The cover and blurb both point to the Chinese Civil War that gave rise to the two Chinas. The title is a mystery, a secret, to me. I am not interested in unearthing the history of China, so I wouldn't have looked into this book outside the program. The author made a very detailed table of contents that would be useful to the reader, considering the length of the book. I think the section titles should have a similar structure, though. Presently, some are phrases and others are complete sentences; also, some have periods and others don't. What struck me as odd was the inclusion of General Wang's foot/leg exercise, complete with pictures, in Appendix I. The book is free, so I may try that exercise as it purportedly "promotes health for life." I laud the author's research and know that history buffs will enjoy the details, but I got bored. I do not think I have the energy to read the rest of the book. I also noted errors. On page 32, "The situation was worse in the Communist occupied areas" needed a hyphen after "Communist." On page 35, "Even some American leftists and intellectuals such as Edgar Snow, Agnes Smedley, Anna Louise Strong et al" needed a comma before "et al" and a period after it. The official OBC reviewer gave the top rating for the book, but I was not moved to reconsider my decision. I may read Appendix I though.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 4:57 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
Father's Gold Secret by Wu Sing-yung, MD, PhD, is a historical book that focuses on China's political crisis. Yes, I'm a part of this program, and I sampled the book based on the title. The "gold" in the title is quite interesting and creates curiosity about why it is a secret. I read the sample. Honestly, before the beginning of the tale, it made me drowsy, which I least like. If it is possible to start right away in Chapter 1 rather than begin with numerous accounts of acknowledgement, I suggest moving it after the story because somehow it develops uninteresting energy to read further. The sample begins with the author's study as a doctor, which adds fascinating details to those times because being a doctor in the 1950s was quite a heroic act. I like historical novels because they help me understand past world events that took place a long time ago. I don't see any typos. Yes, I will read this book because I have a free copy. The book has an OBC review that helps me decide about the book.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 4:46 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Asma Aisha Ansari
I wouldn't have picked this book up based on the cover and title, as I'm not interested in reading historical books. I sampled this book only because I'm part of the First Ten Program. I read the first chapter but found the writing too academic. That's why I'm not going to read the rest of the book. But I'm sure people interested in knowing about the history of Chinese people will find this book resourceful.
The book seems professionally edited, as I didn't encounter any errors so far. I've no suggestions for improvement to offer. But I would like to point out that double dashes (--) were used in some sentences where an Em-dash (—) should be used. One such sentence is here: Only now in the last 30 years or so in Taiwan, the Republic of China, has it been so -- roughly since Martial Law was repealed in 1987. The OBC review is well-written. I didn't read the Amazon blurb, other editorial reviews or customer reviews before sampling this book.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 4:44 am by Asma Aisha Ansari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Adrian Rondon Salazar
I would not have chosen this book as my next read because the cover seemed plain to me. On this cover, the black and white photography is not striking. I will buy this book. I thought it would be a boring book, but the author writes in a way that reading is not tiring; each section is short and to the point. Errors: none. I loved the photographs; the photos allowed me to empathize more with the author. I believe that nothing can be improved. The official review on OBC was helpful.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 4:37 am by Adrian Rondon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Heidi M Simone
Without this program, I would not have sampled the book. I don’t read many non-fiction texts, so the genre wouldn’t have convinced me to sample this read. The cover, title, and blurb also do not pique my interest. Both the positive OBC and customer ratings do not affect my opinion of the book. In the first chapter, there is a comma missing, after the word, “diary”, in the sentence, “In Generalissimo Chiang’s diary[,] he admitted that he had made a dreadful mistake…”. Therefore, the book could use another round of editing.
The author seemed to have really done his research when writing this book. I also liked how the author clearly splits his book into sections by using headings in bold, and there were pictures included within the text. Such as, there’s a map of Northeastern China. On the other hand, this book is too dense in history for me. It was very difficult for me to keep reading about the war, how Truman sent a general to China, and even when Generalissimo Chiang sent the troops to the wrong place. Some of these topics are meant to be exciting, but books about history don’t keep my interest.
Due to the fact that this is more like a history book and the fact that I didn’t enjoy reading the sample, I do not plan on reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 4:36 am by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shrabastee Chakraborty
Based on the official OBC review and other published reviews, I decided to read this book. However, reading the first ten pages made me change my mind. I found no errors in them. The detailed foreword described the book's premise. Gold was sent from the USA to stabilize the Chinese currency. In the actual text, the author stated how he was working at Johns Hopkins with a modest salary while his father, the chief of the Military Finance Department in China, handled a huge amount of gold. I liked that the book was thoroughly researched. I had no suggestions for improvement. However, the historical non-fiction book did not appeal to me much, so I wouldn't read the whole book.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 4:09 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Eunice Geres
I wouldn't have read the sample of this book based on its title, cover, genre, blurb, and OBC review. I don't usually read non-fiction. If I were to read non-fiction, I usually wanted something short. And this is not short. So, it's not for me. The author's story is cool, though. I think it's interesting to figure out a family history tied to a country's history through the father's diaries. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the sample. It's full of the names of people I don't know. I also only know the side of the Philippines in WWII. I don't know what happened to other countries. And from what I gathered from the book. There are many things that happened between China and the U.S. This book is just full of facts that I find monotonous. Every sentence just mentions a name, a place, or a year. It's just like the usual history book I read back in high school. The author mentioned that this book would contain historical data from his father's diaries and a little about his childhood, and some interviews. I don't find any of those interesting. So, I will not be buying this book to continue reading it. I disliked the theme itself, and the writing just sounded too boring for me. I'm sure many people would find this interesting. But not me, unfortunately. I don't have anything to recommend; the editing and book cover is apt. I didn't notice any grammatical mistakes.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 3:57 am by Eunice Geres.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Justine Ocsebio
I only sampled this book because of the program. I'm not really looking for books dealing with political topics at the moment. In the sample, I like how the author already lays out everything the reader should expect from the book. It's amazing how the author lived through significant events throughout the Chinese Civil War. I can only imagine how this book will be a delight for history geeks. However, I'm not interested in the subject matter, so I'm not going to read the book. The OBC review was enlightening. The text seemed to have undergone professional editing. I didn't find any errors or aspects that I didn't like. I also don't have any improvements to suggest.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 3:53 am by Justine Ocsebio.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Soraya Bayah
I attempted to read the sample and was overwhelmed with the amount of historical dates and names that I inherently never heard of since I never read about the history of America or China, or any country for that matter. I am not interested in historical books, which justifies why I would not pick up this book from the genre, title, cover, blurb, or reviews like OBC’s. I did not find any errors so far. I can see how anyone interested in that era would enjoy the facts that are being revealed from the author’s father’s diary and notes. It was fascinating to see the photographs of the author and pictures of maps and how every plan was carried out. I will only skip this book due to it not being my cup of tea in any way or form. I do not think anything should be bettered, since it was well written given the reader understands and is interested in what’s discussed, which is not the case with me. I wish you luck with the sales of this book.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 3:52 am by Soraya Bayah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Dzejn_Crvena
I enjoy reading informative nonfiction books, so I'd have sampled this book based on the genre, customer reviews, editorial reviews, and blurb. The cover and title convinced me to sample it because it's catchy and reflects the actual content of the book. Moreover, the OBC review and the sample influenced me to buy and read it because I'm interested in the history of hidden gold during the Civil War in China. The author's father wrote a collection of diaries to record his experiences and the route of his hidden gold. These gold were shipped to Taiwan and Xiamen. The author talked about its relevance in politics with documents, images, and evidence of their existence in historical records. I like the detailed description of the information that helped me visualize the actual events of the past, and I'm interested in reading more about the whereabouts of the gold. The book seems professionally edited, and I don't have suggestions for improvements.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 3:40 am by Dzejn_Crvena.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rita Nuncia
I would not have read this book without being a part of the first ten programs because of the title, cover, OnlineBookClub review, and customer reviews. I have no problem with the genre of the book. It has no blurb. The reviews praised the book and stated how interesting it was. However, I’m not interested in Chinese political history. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be reading this book because it does not appeal to me. The first few pages seem professionally edited because I didn't see any errors. I like the customer reviews and the Amazon description of this book. It helped me have an idea for the book. I have no suggestions for improvements. There is an OnlineBookClub official review. It did not affect my opinion of the book.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 3:12 am by Rita Nuncia.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mutai Marshal
The book has no OBC blurb. I could not connect with its title or cover page too. Consequently, I wouldn't have read this book outside the First Ten program. I loved how informative and resourceful this book is. It talks of historical issues like the invasion of China by Japanese forces. I didn't flag any grammatical errors, and I believe the book was professionally edited. I also didn't notice anything that needs modification. Having read the OBC review and sampled the book, I will complete reading it because I am a fan of historical books.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 2:55 am by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sou Hi
Without this program, I wouldn't have read this. The official review from OnlineBookClub, the cover, the blurb, and the ratings on Amazon are fine, but historical books are not my cup of tea.
Frankly, I like nothing about the sample. I'm not interested in the political relationship between the US and China, and the topic of the secret gold given to China by the US doesn't appeal to me. Besides, I would also suggest another round of proofreading. Since the sample can't pique my interest, I won't buy this book. The OBC review was helpful in making my decision.
Error example: (Front row left, in civilian cloth) President Chiang Kai-shek, Chiang (the Junior) Jingguo, and General (Samuel) Wu Song-qing (far right, the author's father). ( 1972 ) -> There shouldn't be spaces before and after "1972".
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 2:41 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
kampen
Wu Sing-yung, MD, PhD Publisher’s book, "Father’s Gold Secret," is a book that I enjoyed reading its sample after downloading it from Amazon. The sample made it easier for me to understand the historical significance of this book. The information in this book, as revealed in the book’s few pages that I sampled, summarizes the research conducted by the author for more than 20 years. The research he did and compiled in this book is about his father’s involvement in the saga of the gold in the National Vault in Shanghai. In the first ten pages I read, the cover was the element that grabbed my interest. It was quite appealing to me. I found nothing in the sampled bit that I didn't like. An insightful OBC review of this book is available. The review did not, however, influence my choice not to purchase and finish reading the book. I decided against reading this book because of its historical content. I didn't see any grammatical or spelling errors over the first ten pages of reading. In my opinion, nothing in this book could be made better. This book appears to have also been edited by a professional. I will recommend it to readers who enjoy reading about ancient history, particularly Chinese history, because it seems to be a good read. My choice was impacted by the genre, cover, blurb, editorial reviews, and consumer reviews.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 2:29 am by kampen.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
psychopathycathy
If I had not read the sample as part of the First Ten program, I would have read the book. The Amazon reviews did not affect my decision. I am Taiwanese so I think this is a very intriguing subject and I would love to know more about historical and cultural events. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I would not change anything. I really liked that we got a quick history lesson about the "Grand Strategy" that led to the creation of Free China in Taiwan before we delved into the personal part of the writer's history at Johns Hopkins and his father. The only thing I might change is using graphs and charts to explain harvest and land percentages as the numbers flew over my head, but overall I found the book very informative and engaging. It was professionally edited. The official review on OnlineBookClub did not affect my decision but I would recommend this to those who are interested in China-Taiwan as well as Sino-American relations.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 2:29 am by psychopathycathy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kirsi Cultrera
I didn’t find the cover of this book appealing, and based on only that, I would probably have passed it without the First Ten program. The blurb, customer reviews, and other information available at the book’s Amazon page, however, gave an interesting insight to the content. I thought this might be an interesting read to a history lover such as myself. Opening the sample revealed that this was a lengthy book with its 465 pages. The source of material in this book was unique, and since I don’t know much about the history of China, I figured this might be interesting. I liked that the author took the time to put all this together. However, I found myself thinking that the author’s style of expressing his thoughts was somewhat dry and verbose, and I had trouble keeping myself concentrated to what I read. The author’s father had obviously lived an extraordinary life as a military officer and a keeper of gold, and the historical value of his diaries is priceless. I found myself wanting to know more about the U.S. gold aid to China, but wishing that someone would just deliver me a summary of this book. That being said, this book is obviously not for me to read. This book appeared professionally edited to me at most parts, since I didn’t find any actual errors from what I read. However, I found it odd that the dedications on page 4, as well as the text on page 3, were written with capital letters. It seemed as if this was intended, but it felt odd all the same. The Official OnlineBookClub review that I found was informative, but didn’t change my decision about not wanting to read this book.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 2:11 am by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jennifer Garcia 555
Based on the genre, title, cover and description, this book seems to be full of history about China. After reading an official OnlineBookClub review, this is not a book I would pick to read. I struggled to stay engaged with non-fiction stories. I read the sample pages and saw no editing errors, so this book seems professionally edited. I like that the author describes the Japanese soldiers invading China, and it is amazing that the author learned so much from his father’s journals. This book has a lot of war time information many people may not know about. I have no suggestions for improvement. Readers that enjoy non-fiction and are interested in Chinese history may enjoy this book. This is just not the type of book I enjoy reading, so I will not buy or finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on November 20, 2022, at 1:23 am by Jennifer Garcia 555.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, OBC review, cover, title, and customer reviews. There was not a blurb on the bookshelf page or any editorial reviews. I don’t read non-fiction books very often, and I didn’t have any interest in reading about this gold exchange or aid with China. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. There is so much text before chapter one starts. This could use some improvement. For example, the citations of the author’s journal articles probably don’t need to be included. The author also talks about the content and how they’ll discuss the gold aid that his father witnessed. This isn’t for me. The book did seem to be professionally edited. There wasn’t anything specific that I liked.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 10:45 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Damian Keyes
I would not have sampled this book if I was not in this program because the OBC official review stated that the book recounted many of the world wars. Historic-driven books are not my forte, that's why I made the decision to skip this book. I read the first ten pages and the author was recounting how life was for the village people (they called them peasants) and how resilient they were during that time. That part was what I loved in my reading of this story because it showed that the people with the least were still brave and came together to challenge these Communist forces with these uprisings. I did not dislike anything I read, I'm just not a huge fan of books based on world history. I found no errors.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 10:40 pm by Damian Keyes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kelsey Roy
I was initially intrigued by the cover and title of “Father’s Gold Secret.” The cover page shows signs of a historical event for people of unknown Asian descent in 1949. I enjoy historical accounts, even non-fiction genres, as identified by the blurb. The blurb and review further identify the topics- Chinese influence in WWII, particularly about the country’s civil war and U.S. gold that aided the country. I am intrigued by these topics.
I found no errors in the sample. I enjoyed learning about the “saga of the U.S. gold aid to China,” a portion of history I was unfamiliar with previously. Because the book is non-fiction, I got bogged down a bit by the facts and dates. However, this is to be expected from a casual reader of this genre. I have no recommendations for the author, as this book is well-written. I will not continue this book due to the difficulty I had getting into the material.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 10:31 pm by Kelsey Roy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mary WhiteFace
Without the First Ten program I would not have been interested in reading a book about how the United States gave China gold to help China in WWII as well as during the China Civil War. My initial decision was based upon the title, cover, and synopsis. I don't care too much for political books. Neither the Amazon customer reviews nor the presence of an OnlineBookClub review influenced my decision. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind.
The book seemed to be professionally edited. As someone who was not interested in reading the book to begin with, I found it a little frustrating that the actual story part of the book did not begin until page 29. I believe moving some of the citation information to the end of the book instead of at the front would improve the chances of the casual reader finding themselves pulled into the story. But then a history buff might like reading all of the citation information at the beginning. It is just a personal preference.
The part I liked best in the sample I read was on page 36, "As a physician, not a politician, I will let my readers answer this question for themselves, based on her/his own judgement." It is not often that you will find someone who will just present the facts as they know them, and then challenge the reader to use their own mind to decide the validity of the information. It would be wonderful if all reporters were to do this. State the facts and let the people make up their own mind.
The information in the book is important and it is good that such a book was written so that future generations would know the truth of what happened. I admire the author for having the courage to document his story, but I will not be reading the whole book.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 9:56 pm by Mary WhiteFace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kira Bonita Reece
The author of this book shared stories from his father's diary that documents Chinese war history. I liked how engaging the book was. The sample was professionally edited and needs no improvements. I liked that the data presented seemed accurate. I would not read this book based on the cover, blurb, title, genre, or the official OnlineBookClub review. While this is an interesting book, I won't be reading it because the sample did not intrigue me.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 9:07 pm by Kira Bonita Reece.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jorge Leon Salazar
The image on the cover and the title are striking and consistent with the story. Therefore, I think many interested readers should be drawn to this book. As a whole, I like nonfiction war stories. The blurb highlights the mystery of a large amount of gold that helped China in World War II and played a pivotal role in the Chinese Civil War. Both customer reviews give the book a perfect rating. The official OnlineBookClub review indicates the story centers on the diaries of the author's father. They uncover many secrets associated with the Chinese Civil War and the mystery of the gold. Based on these elements, I could try this book. The first ten pages were very educational about the historical events of the Chinese Civil War and the shipment of gold from the United States. I knew little about these topics. For example, I just found out that Taiwan is known as the Republic of China. Until now, I have thought there was only one China, the communist. What was narrated about the author's father, General Samuel Song-Qing Wu, was intriguing. He is portrayed as an honest man who never diverted an ounce of gold for his benefit. In addition, he pursued a noble goal of a better country with democratic principles. I liked that what I read provided historical information ranging from the Japanese invasion of China, the Second World War, and the Chinese Civil War. In the latter, the Soviet Union supported the communists and the USA the nationalists. The editing looked adequate, although I did notice some details. For example, on page 26, it says: “the Republic of China to Taiwa.” It seems it should be "Taiwan" instead of "Taiwa." The first ten pages were entertaining but did not convince me to read the rest of the book. Although I consider all the information is veridical, I think there is a pro-Taiwan bias. Overall, I didn't see anything that I believed could be improved. In conclusion, I will not read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 7:49 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shanesha Sammerson
Father’s Gold Secret is not a genre that appeals to me. The blurb and editorial reviews done on this book on Amazon were interesting, but not enough to make me want to read it. If I were not part of OBC, I would not have sampled this book. No, I would not buy and read this book after reading the first 10 pages, not because it was poorly written but because it did not start out adventurous or exciting. It would be more suitable for someone who enjoys reading about history; the author spoke about readings from his father's diary and his meeting with people who knew his father. One good thing about the book was that it provided a lot of details like dates, etc. that would be beneficial for someone who wants to learn Chinese history. I found no errors in the first 10 pages. There was nothing wrong with the book. I found the review on OBC well-written and inviting to historical lovers.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 6:41 pm by Shanesha Sammerson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
The title of the book could be interpreted several ways, but I learned from the blurb that it was to be taken literally. The title, the cover, and the blurb did not convince me to read the book. I learned from the blurb that the author had some valid credentials to write this book about his father. While I like that the intent was to inform people about the importance of Taiwan, I am not interested in the subject. The OBC review explained the Chinese Civil War, but I was still not persuaded to read the book. I did not like the formatting of the Table of Contents. I thought the Preface was too long. There was a missing comma error at 25%, "After serving.., in the Army [ ] he came to..." I am not going to finish reading the book because I don't read non-fiction books for pleasure. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 11:19 am by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kenesha Latoya Fowler
I would not have sampled this book based on the title, cover, blurb, genre, or reviews; I simply have no interest in the “gold saga" of the Chinese Civil war. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. I neither liked nor disliked any in particular, and I didn’t notice any errors. I think the audience for this book is very specific, and since I don’t count myself as part of it, I won’t be reading more of the book. The official OBC review did not influence my decision.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 7:39 am by Kenesha Latoya Fowler.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rodel Barnachea
After perusing the title’s official OnlineBookClub review and Amazon page, I decided not to acquire the non-fiction book. I am not fascinated by what the author will discover as he reads through the collection of diaries that his father left. I am not intrigued by the Chinese Civil War and other relevant historical events that played a huge role in the life of the author's father. I am not interested in learning about the mystery behind the six million ounces of US gold and how this gold affected Chinese politics. Sampling the book did not change my mind. I would not acquire it because nothing in the sample compelled me to go over the rest of the title. The first ten pages cover a foreword, a preface, and a few pages of Chapter 1: Baltimore and Shanghai. What I liked most is when the author talked about how the Communists (led by Mao Zedong) were able to defeat the Nationalists (led by Chiang Kai-shek). I could not identify any errors in the Amazon sample; the book seems professionally edited. I have nothing to suggest to the author.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 5:05 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
FunkyFlowerLady
Reading this book felt like going back in time and being there in the middle of a war-torn nation trying to protect its sovereignty from its own demons. I enjoyed learning about the complexities of the war and how each misstep resulted in the country we see today. The war between Nationalists and Communists was as poignantly interesting as the suspense about the impact of the war on the author's life. The revolutionary aspects described in the first ten pages made me think about differing perspectives on what a revolution actually is and how a country revolutionizes. The title, blurb, and cover page, along with the OBC review, helped me in reading this book, although I was hesitant to give it a try because it was heavily political. But the ease of understanding and the writing style of the author kept me hooked, and I'm glad I read this book. I did not see any errors of any kind in the first ten pages of the book. I liked this book; there was nothing negative about the bit I read, and I will read the full book.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 5:02 am by FunkyFlowerLady.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sanju Lali
The cover, title, and genre of this book appeased me. I would have read the reviews of this book outside the program called the first ten. I could not find any editorial reviews of this book, and the customer reviews appeared overly sugarcoated. The OBC official review gave me the most needed insights about this book and motivated me to sample the book. After reading the first ten pages, I realized that the book was not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the free sample. For example, the sentence, "Stalin had ordered the Chinese Communists to fight against the Japanese but Mao followed the order sparingly." This sentence could be as follows. "Stalin had ordered the Chinese Communists to fight against the Japanese, but Mao followed the order sparingly." In this sample, I liked the author's idea of highlighting the forgotten holcaust, where 300,000 unarmed men, women, and children were massacred in Nanking. From the sample, I learned that this book discloses unknown facts about ancient China. I want to know what the reality about the Nanking massacre. Therefore, I will buy and read this book today. My suggestion to the author is to consider giving more evidence of the Nanking massacre. This book can become elegant after a round of professional editing.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 4:50 am by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabriella H
Nothing attracted me to this book. I think the phrasing of the title is a bit awkward and doesn't fully convey what the book is about. The errors in the Amazon description discouraged me from this book. I found the book cover and customer reviews boring, and they influenced my decision. My decision wasn't influenced by the OBC official review. I wouldn't have read this book without this program. I'm not interested in the subject matter, and the first ten pages were unable to sway me. This is the first time I'm reading about the role the Soviet Union played in changing China's leadership. I think there's a lot to unpack in this book, and it's best suited to readers already familiar with and interested in the subject matter. I won't be completing this one. I didn't see any editorial review or OBC blurb, and I wasn't influenced by this. I saw some errors in the first ten pages, and I think another round of proofreading would help eliminate them and any other errors in the book. This is one of the errors I saw, "The Japanese aggression in China had led to vast increases of poverty-stricken peasants." (Page 31). It should be vast increases in, not of.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 4:25 am by Gabriella H.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vickali
Father's Gold Secret: 1949 Wu Sing-yung, MD, PhD, is a great nonfiction writer with a variety of historical subjects. After reading a sample, I can tell that the book is jam-packed with useful information. From the sample, it appears that the author describes how, during the Civil War, his father assisted in bringing gold into Taiwan. An OBC review of this book was really useful to me in deciding whether or not to read it. The cover had a fantastic design and was equally impressive. On the basis of its cover, I would have read the sample of this book even if I hadn't been a part of the First Ten Program. This is due to the fact that I was immediately drawn to the cover when I first saw it. I would have had no desire to read the sample of this book based on the reviews (both editorial and customer reviews). I'm going to purchase this book, read the first ten pages, and finish it. This is because I enjoy reading accounts of China. In the few pages I was able to sample, I didn't detect any grammatical or spelling problems. The book appears to have been expertly edited, in my opinion. When asked what I liked about the sample, I can reply with certainty that I found the book's cover to be interesting and well-designed. There was nothing in the part of the book I read that I didn't like. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action-packed non-fiction books.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 2:56 am by Vickali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vidhi Adhikari
The book makes a decent first impression with it's simple cover design, straightforward title, detailed description, and few customer and OBC reviews. Since I am not a fan of political fiction books, I was reluctant to read the sample. That said, I loved the honest dedication of the author. There were some minor grammatical errors, but nothing that would affect my reading experience (Thus, it is not at all surprising that he sought to enable the creation of a land {add comma} where such rights could be offered and protected apart from the tyranny of human governments that were gaining preeminence within the Chinese mainland.) Unfortunately, since the genre is not of my liking, I will not finish this book. I would suggest making the content pictorial to better grab the reader's attention.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 2:29 am by Vidhi Adhikari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Faith Ejai
I wouldn't have read the sample of this book, Father's Gold Secret, if I hadn't been a part of this program (the First Ten Program), based on the cover, genre, editorial reviews, or customer reviews. The aforementioned factors have no bearing on my choice to read a sample or a full book. According to the preface of the book, the author's research on his father's major and astounding role in the "saga" of the Shanghai treasure and how it led to the Civil War is summarized in this work. I'm not going to buy this book and read it cover to cover after reading the first ten pages. The fact that the book appears to discuss a certain part of war is the reason I won't buy and read the entire thing. I don't often read books with war themes. The first ten pages of this book that I read through did not include any errors. This book's author appears to have hired a professional editor to work on it. I liked the book's simple, understandable writing style in the part I read. There was nothing in the section I read that I didn't like, so there is no room for improvement. The OBC review of the book was interesting but did not persuade me not to buy and read the whole thing. To people who are interested in Chinese history, I would recommend this book.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 1:37 am by Faith Ejai.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sushan Ekanayake
Father's Gold Secret: 1949 by Wu, Sing-yung, MD, PhD belongs to the Non-Fiction genre, which I usually do not read. The title and the cover page gave the impression of this book being a historical encounter. And the blurb, which revealed that this was about what happened to the gold donated to China by USA in the Chinese Civil War era, confirmed that. I did not see any editorial reviews, but the customer reviews spoke highly about the book. Based on the above facts, I would not have sampled this book if I had not been a part of this program.
Then I read the first ten pages, which described the author's early days as a medical student, and some details about Mao and his political activities. I am not much intein such historical details. So I decided not to continue reading after reading the first few pages. But I liked how the book was historically accurate, and I think the author's effort to write this book accurately has to be appreciated.
There were no errors in the first ten pages and I did not see any area that could be improved. I saw the official OBC review, which spoke highly about the book. But it was not influential enough to change my decision.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 12:37 am by Sushan Ekanayake.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
BruceP
After downloading a free sample from Amazon, I had a chance to read the first ten pages of this book, "Father's Gold Secret." I also read the official review of the book that was posted on the OBC website. The review provided a summary of the subject of the book. As shown in the book's opening pages, the author appears to learn a great deal about the Chinese Civil War and the enigma surrounding gold. This book's opening chapter describes a narrative that takes place in Shanghai and Baltimore in 1969. Although I read a lot, I don't read nonfiction books. Therefore, I'll pass on this. I won't purchase it and read it through. I will, nevertheless, recommend it to any reader who delights in non-fiction works, particularly those that deal with Chinese history. The first few pages I read through were error-free in both grammar and spelling. This book appears to have been edited by a professional. This book doesn't seem to need any improvement because, in my opinion, it was well-written and edited. The information was presented in detail, making it seem simple to understand everything in it. This was the feature of the first few pages that I sampled that I loved the most. In the first few pages I read, there was not a single aspect of this book that I didn't appreciate. Because of its genre, I chose not to buy it and finish reading it. My choice was unaffected by the book's cover or editorial assessments.
First Ten review added on November 19, 2022, at 12:00 am by BruceP.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ari Martinez
If it wasn't for this program, I wouldn't sample this book based on its title, cover, genre, blurb, OnlineBookClub review, or other reviews because I'm not a big fan of diaries/memoirs. I also usually prefer fiction novels over non-fiction books. After sampling the book, I will read all of it because I thought it contained a lot of important historical information that I would like to know more about. My favorite part of what I read was the history between Japan and China (specifically, the invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and the years afterward). I've never taken an in depth look at that part of history before. The book seems well edited, and I can't think of any way to improve it.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 11:58 pm by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Julie Gebrosky
If I had not been part of this program, I would not have sampled this book because I have almost no knowledge of the Chinese Civil War. Also, I prefer fiction books over nonfiction. The OBC review did not have an impact on my decision. After reading the first ten pages, I can say that I do not plan to continue. It seemed dry to me. I did not find it engaging. However, I also did not fund any errors, so that was a positive aspect. I liked the pictures that the author included as well.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 10:33 pm by Julie Gebrosky.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mariana Figueira
Before reading the book's first pages, I wasn't interested in it because nothing on the cover or the title got my attention. After sampling the book I don't want to continue reading it because I'm not a fan of non-fiction. I'm not interested in why or how the author ended un in Johns Hopkins Med School or his fathers' gold secret. This book seems professionally edited, I didn't see any typos; plus, it has an official Online Bookclub review but that didn't affect my opinion about not reading the book. I didn't see anything that needed improvement or that I particularly enjoyed.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 10:08 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
If Father's Gold Secret hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I would not have read it due to the description. I am not a fan of books that are about war, which is why I knew I was going to skip it even before reading the official OnlineBookClub review. However, I did like the color choice the author used for the book cover. The customer reviews for this book are good; these reviews seem to show the readers' excitement well. I liked the pictures in the first ten pages of the book; creating visuals in my mind was easy to do. I did not find any grammatical errors, and there are no improvements that I can think of for this book. I also did not find anything that I disliked.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 7:59 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Stephanie Runyon
I am not a fan of history books because they are dry reproductions of facts; therefore, I would not have sampled this book. The start of the book gives a financial interest in how gold has allowed Taiwan to become democratic and that General Wu's logistics position was integral in doing this. I was a logistics specialist and I can understand how strategic positioning of troops and support can change the outcome of people's lives. I noted an error. I have no suggestions to improve this book. The OBC review did not influence me to read further. I didn't find anything online to alter my choice. I will not finish reading the book because I have no interest in the topic. I will, however, acknowledge that it would be beneficial to historians and people interested in the Chinese/Taiwanese government.
ERROR: After serving one year as a Military Reserve Officer in the Chinese Nationalist Army he came to the U.S. to pursue graduate studies. There should be a comma after the word Army.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 7:50 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
The title of this book captured my interest, and I wondered which man on the cover was the author’s father. I read nonfiction often, and I was immediately attracted to this book after reading the blurb. I recognize the leaders’ names but know little about the Chinese Civil War. After reading the first ten pages (I started at the preface), my interest in the story only increased. I appreciated the author’s clear communication and devotion to accurately portraying what he found in his father’s diaries. The author seems to be a brave and patriotic man. I also liked that he included pictures throughout the story. This further reinforces its authenticity. I will finish this book. It appeared professionally edited; I did not notice any grammatical errors in the ten pages I read. Neither the featured OnlineBookClub review nor other editorial reviews or customer reviews influenced my decision. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 6:46 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
SweetSourSalty AndSpicy
The title sounds like a historical fiction while the cover art looks like a memoir. The book description did not pique enough interest to make me sample the book outside the program. Customer reviews are few but with positive feedbacks. After sampling, I appreciate the explanation about the intent of the book. However, I find the stories specific and not very relatable. It seems that only a select audience will find this appealing. Hence, I will pass. For improvement, I suggest considering a title that sounds more like a nonfiction work. It will help attract the target audience. For editing issues, I did not notice any from the sampled pages. The official OnlineBookClub review has helpful insights.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 5:18 pm by SweetSourSalty AndSpicy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
Throughout his book, the author shares how his father, General Song-qing Wu, the Military Finance Chief for the Republic of China, played an important role in securing the future of Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War. I found no editorial reviews, but the positive customer reviews and the Amazon blurb were informative. Unfortunately, as I am not fond of historical non-fiction books, I would not have read the book based on the genre, cover, and title. For this reason, neither the OBC review nor the first ten pages changed my mind. However, there was nothing that I disliked about the first ten pages. I especially enjoyed the expository writing style as the author explained how he found a collection of 44 diaries in which his father wrote down his daily experiences while being in charge of the shipment of the American gold from Shanghai to Taiwan between 1948 and 1949. I only found three minor errors that did not distract me from my reading. For example, it should be written "Taiwan" in the following sentence: "The stories also corroborate the actual chain of events that led to the great Retreat of the Republic of China to Taiwa." (page 26) Those interested in reading historical books and want to learn more about the Chinese Civil War will find this book informative. Nothing needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 4:53 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Andrada Madalina
"Father's Gold Secret" by Wu, Sing-yung, MD, Ph.D., is a non-fiction book that illustrates a family mystery. I liked the simplicity of the book cover and found it suitable for its catchy title and descriptive blurb. I did not find any editorial reviews for this book, but I sampled it because of its positive customer reviews and excellent Official OnlineBookClub review. The book seems exceptionally well edited since I discovered no single error while reading its first ten pages. I would not improve anything on the plot because I enjoyed the mixture of history and mystery and appreciated that the author shared his memories of the war since he was a child. Nevertheless, I will not buy and read the whole book because I am not interested in stories about the Chinese Civil War and politics.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 4:42 pm by Andrada Madalina.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yvonne Monique
The book cover clearly shows that this is a memoir from a Chinese gentleman. As I have no affinity with China, I would not pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore. The customer reviews, blurb and OBC review give a thorough description of the book, but do not convince me to read the sample. The sample is well edited and filled with details. Right from the beginning, it becomes clear that the author has made a great effort to get all the facts right. I appreciate the author's thoroughness, but I find the amount of information quite overwhelming. Just by seeing the extensive table of contents, I wonder if this book is maybe too specific for people who are not familiar with China or its history. Although the first chapter was quite interesting, I felt that my interest in China is not big enough to maintain my attention during the whole book. That is why I will not read the rest of it. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 3:55 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ohna Martin
I would skip this book whether I was part of this program or not. I do not like the genre. The likeable fact is the picture on the cover, it gives the book a personal touch. I would certainly not have expected to read about the war when I looked at the name of the book. I dislike the war element. I do not like violence. I found no spelling or grammar errors. I have no suggestions for the author. No other reviews, OBC or otherwise, or blurbs influenced my decision, this was solely based on the first ten pages of this book.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 3:43 pm by Ohna Martin.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Danielle Briggs
I do not think I would have sampled this book outside the program because the blurb did not interest me, and I am not usually drawn toward nonfiction books. After sampling, I would not buy and continue the book. I liked the personal pictures that were included between chapters because they allowed me to feel more connected to the author. One negative to me was that the immense amount of history given at the beginning of the book is daunting and made me feel like I was studying rather than reading for enjoyment. Personally, I did not feel that there was a story to draw me in, so I got bored quickly while reading. I did not find any errors in what I read. The OBC review did not influence my decision.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 3:42 pm by Danielle Briggs.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Nemanja Jankovic
I would choose to read the book based on its title and cover because the book's yellow cover reminds me of gold, fits in well with the title, and grabs my attention. The Official OnlineBookClub review and blurb, which highlighted the quantity of gold transferred to China as support in the war, only served to reinforce my choice. I read the customer reviews, but they had no impact on me. There are no editor reviews online. I'll read the book since it's a rare chance to examine the topic of financing wars objectively. Aside from one minor typo (Taiwa - Taiwan), the book appears to have been professionally edited. I liked finding out how much gold, silver, and money the author's father had at his disposal as well as how honest and competent he was with public funds. The introduction may be reduced, in my opinion, to make the book better.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 3:12 pm by Nemanja Jankovic.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Father's Gold Secret' is a nonfiction book written by Wu, Sing-yung, MD, PhD. The author draws from his father's diaries and talks about the Chinese Civil War. The book is well-researched. I like that. There is nothing that I would like to change. The editing is fair. The OBC review is informative. I would have read this book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews as I am history buff. After reading the sample, I have decided to read this book as I am intrigued by the premise.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 2:58 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Amy Luman
I couldn’t find any editorial reviews of this book and only found a few customer reviews, which were very good. The OBC review spoke of the book as nonfiction, focusing on the Chinese Civil War. I will not be finishing this book since I am interested neither in non-fiction nor the given time period. The cover features a photograph of the author's father, I assume. The title tells you exactly what you will eventually find in the work. I didn’t notice any errors in what I read, so I think it was probably professionally edited. I liked the photographs that were part of the book, but I was especially interested to find out that at Dr. Wu’s job at the Stat Lab, he made $5/hour, and he thought that was a lot of money. I can’t see anything that needs to be changed.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 2:58 pm by Amy Luman.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
The cover isn't very appealing and would not have made me interested in the book. The imagery is boring and didn't come across well highlighted within the yellow box. So too, the Official OBC Review. I enjoy reading history but am not very interested in Asian history. Therefore, this isn't a topic within my wheelhouse. I read no other reviews or blurbs. After reading the first ten pages, I won't continue. The book is very well written, and I believe it to be professionally edited as I found no errors. What I liked most was the synopsis of how Mao came to power through land distribution. What I disliked was the long Preface which wasn't necessary given that the story need not be told before being described in the chapters. My only recommendation is to provide a more interesting, engaging cover.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 2:29 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AntonelaMaria
I read nonfiction books, but the synopsis of this book doesn't appeal to me. The war storyline is not something I like to read about. I don't know much about the Chinese Civil War. The author's findings in his father's diary are the most interesting thing about this book. Sadly, not enough for me to continue reading. I haven't changed my mind after reading the sample. There is an informative Official OnlineBookClub review of this book and a couple of favorable Amazon reviews too. One thing I always want to change in books is when Wikipedia is used as a source. I didn't notice any errors.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 2:25 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Carson25
I read the first ten pages of this book, Father’s Gold Secret: 1949, after downloading a sample. It’s a nonfiction book. At the start of this book, it’s written that this book recounts a story that unfolded more than seven decades ago and has the potential to impact the life of every individual alive on this planet today. Moreover, much about the gold is told in the book’s preface. This is a book that I will recommend to lovers of non-fiction books with a taste of history. The element that I appreciated in the first ten pages of this book was the detailed information given in clear language. There was no element that I didn’t appreciate in the first ten pages that I read. This book seems to have been exceptionally edited. This is because I found no errors in the first few pages that I read. I love non-fiction books, but I won't purchase and finish reading this one. The historical aspects of the book were the reason why I decided not to purchase it. The cover, the official review, and the customer compliments had no impact on my decision. In my opinion, this book is fine the way it is and shouldn’t be modified.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 2:01 pm by Carson25.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
KafeliKe
Father’s Gold Secrete by Wu Sing-yung, MD, PhD, Publisher: Outskirts Press, sounds like an interesting and useful book. This book summarizes the author’s sustained research spanning more than 20 years, as written in the book’s opening pages. The author depicts how Americans and the citizens of the free world can see how Dr. Wu’s father handled the American gold to secure the future of Taiwan during the war. The aspect that I liked the most in the first ten pages of this book was the author’s simple writing style, which is easy to read and understand. The aspect that I didn’t like about this book in the first ten pages that I read was how the book’s preface is lengthy. It is the aspect that I thought should be improved after reading the first ten pages. It can be improved by shortening it. On the Online Book Club, there is a well-written and insightful review. The first ten pages that I read were flawless. This book seems to have been edited by a professional. I’m a fan of nonfiction books. I’ll therefore buy and finish reading this book. The cover and the official review had no effect on my decision to buy and finish reading it. My decision was affected by the book’s genre. This book seems okay, and no improvement is needed.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 1:19 pm by KafeliKe.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Chelsy Scherba
What a fascinating history about a fascinating man in a fascinating time. I really feel like General Wu was anointed by God to help the people in Taiwan, so it’s a pleasure to learn that he was also a Christian. How interesting! I definitely want to read the rest of this book, learn his story, and how he was able to deliver gold to the people he helped. I also liked the picture of his son, the author. The photo on the cover is also very nice to see, it helps bring the history to life. I think this book is very well-edited and researched, since I didn’t see any errors. I have no suggestions for improvements. I like the cover design. I didn’t see any editorial reviews or blurbs, but the OBC review and the reviews on Amazon make me want to read the rest of this book.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 12:28 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
Unless one knows who the people in the picture are, the cover seems lackluster. The blurb is well-explained, and I love history, but this is an incredibly specific topic, and I don't find it interesting. Therefore, despite the perfect ratings, I would not have bought the book based on my first impressions.
The first ten pages didn't convince me to read the book. I understand the historical significance of this text, but I found it boring. The narrative, which focuses on dates, names, and events, reads like a textbook. For example, "Within two months of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. House and Senate passed a new loan of $500 million to China. Over a year later, Chiang Kai-shek's wife, Madame Soong Mei-ling, visited Washington." There are interesting facts, such as the importance that Taiwan places on preserving the "traditional Chinese culture and language." Still, most of the narrative is dry, and I wouldn't make this a leisurely read. On the plus side, I didn't find editing mistakes. There are some inconsistencies. For example, in the index, some sentences end with a full stop, and some don't. But those aren't mistakes. I suggest giving the opening a more personal tone and moving the book references to the end. The official OBC review didn't change my mind.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 12:05 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mayang Bature
I would have been interested in reading this book regardless of whether I was in this program or not. Stories about history always pique my interest, and I would love to satisfy that curiosity any chance I get. While reading through this sample, I loved in particular the degree of accuracy of the author's narration. His understanding and careful explanation of the subject matter were also something I admired. I found no errors while reading this, and I would love to complete this story in the future.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 11:50 am by Mayang Bature.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Bertha Jackson
I am not a fan of fiction books or Chinese history, so I would not have checked this book out based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, customer reviews, or the OnlineBookClub review. There were no editorial reviews to read. I like that the author uses figures, maps, and tables to help the reader understand the book. I liked the comparison of the use of terror during the Chinese Civil War to that of joining a mafia group. I was surprised at the amount of gold the United States sent to China during a time when the United States was struggling. I disliked nothing about the first ten pages because they appeared professionally edited, as I did not see any errors. I have no recommendations for the author because he has done a good job discussing his father’s diary. I will not finish reading the free copy of the book because I am not interested in the topic and am not fond of the genre.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 9:29 am by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Christell Lindeque
Even though I am a participant in this program, I have no intention of reading this book. Unfortunately, it's not my cup of tea. The author's father's gold secret, as well as the diaries he found detailing actual events during the Chinese Civil War in 1947–1951, are intriguing revelations. The title and cover, in my opinion, are spot-on for the content inside.
Even after getting through the first ten pages, I have no desire to continue reading this book. It seems to be entirely focused on historical events, which I find difficult to keep track of. Similarly, I find the book's genre to be unappealing.
In the first ten pages, I noticed no mistakes.
Unfortunately, the book is largely comprised of dates, which I found tedious. When this happens, I have a hard time following what is written. What bothers me about the book is also the book's main point, so I have no constructive criticism to offer.
The fact that the story was inspired by true events was a plus for me.
The OBC review piqued my interest, but I quickly realized that the book's genre was not one I enjoyed and decided against reading past the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 9:10 am by Christell Lindeque.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
From the cover art and title, this looks like it is a history book about China. I don’t have a particular interest in Chinese history, so I would not have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The onlinebookclub.org review that I read increased my interest in the book. It provided details about the book that I couldn’t learn from the cover. It refers to journals by people who experienced significant events in China’s history. It also gave the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. I didn’t read any additional customer reviews or blurbs. The first ten pages describe Chinese history during World War II and specifically the invasion by Japan. It noted Japan’s refusal to acknowledge or take responsibility for the atrocities committed against the Chinese people. The author has a writing style that is engaging. I didn’t feel like I was reading a history book. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. I would like to learn more about this topic. Based on the OBC review and the first ten pages, I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 8:42 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Alex Reeves
I'm a huge fan of historical fictions, or any book with historical features, but this book didn't appeal to me at first glance. The name held my interest, but the cover dwindled it completely. This is to say that if I wasn't in this program, I wouldn't read the book at all. However, I read the sample, but the war happenings in the book bored me instantly. I couldn't go on after the first ten pages because it lacked a
certain vibe I feel while reading similar books. The author could have revealed the gold at the beginning, but I didn't find it anywhere in the first ten pages. I found out about the gold after reading the OBC review. I didn't find any error in the book, but I've made up my mind not to read it.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 8:40 am by Alex Reeves.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
IconReviews
This is not a book I would read judging by the cover, blurb, title, genre, customer reviews, or the official OnlineBookClub review. I don't enjoy reading historical or war stories. The sample was professionally edited and needs no modifications. I liked that the book provided an accurate account of the war between China and Japan in the nineteenth century. I won't be reading this one because it is not my genre of choice.
First Ten review added on November 18, 2022, at 8:19 am by IconReviews.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 24%
Father's Gold Secret earned a score of 24%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 24% plan to read the whole book.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.
Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.
Go to main Bookshelves page for Father's Gold Secret
