Amy Chua"s daughters, Sophia and Louisa (Lulu) were polite, interesting and helpful; they had perfect school marks and exceptional abilities. The Chinese parenting model certainly seemed to produce results. But what happens when a screaming child, who would sooner freeze outside in the cold than be forced to play the piano, confronts you? BATTLE HYMN OF THE TIGER MOTHER is a story about a mother, two daughters, and two dogs. It was supposed to be a story of how Chinese parents are better at raising kids than Western ones. But instead, it"s about a clash of cultures, a fleeting taste of glory, and how you can be humbled by a thirteen-year-old.