GAINESVILLE, Fla. -  Mei Jyu-Chwang Lee, now 20, won spectacular awards in academics and music as a child.  Behind the façade of a young woman with healthy ambition, Lee struggled with 18 years of abuse from her parents.  In An Extreme Asian-American Upbringing (now available through 1stBooks), the author tells of the hardships she endured at home, the positive reputation her family held in the community despite the abuse and the discovery that led to her escape.

 Lee’s Taiwanese parents instilled an extreme amount of discipline and pressure for educational excellence, resulting in lifetime scars for the author.  The author and her two sisters were complimented publicly for their achievements, such as National Spelling Bee wins and national music awards, but no one knew the suffering they had to endure to earn them.  This was the product of an ancient Chinese child-rearing technique of discipline.

 In 2002, Lee turned to Christianity to help her heal the wounds from her childhood.  She eventually broke away from her parents, especially her mother, who suffered abuse as a child as well.  This book offers the viewpoint of a young abuse victim who has been removed from the environment for only a short time.  It tells the rarely exposed story of abuse in an Asian-American home, especially one with a consistently very good standing in the community.

 Lee courageously tells the story of how her triumphant spirit and her discovery and devotion of God helped her be free of her parents’ reign.  An Extreme Asian-American Upbringing, she hopes, will raise awareness for child abuse and help make the lives of future generations for families more healthy and content.

 Lee was born in Taiwan and raised in the United States.  Internationally active in music, the author would like to pursue a doctorate in music.  Other interests include pursuing ministry, performing aerobic exercises, and organizing community service endeavors.