The Binding Chair, or, A Visit from the Foot Emancipation Society

by Kathryn Harrison

A bound foot is not, as Alice's uncle Arthur assumed before seeing his wife's, a foot whose growth has been arrested. A bound foot is a foot broken: a foot folded in the middle, toes forced down toward the heel.

19th century China sets the stage for May's foot binding experience (and all of the horrors that follow). That horrendous Chinese tradition truly shapes May's life.

Only when she meets Arthur Cohen is she introduced to a life of safety and relative stability.

But this is not just May's story. It is also the story of her niece, Alice. Their stories are told in alternating chapters. Frankly, I only really wanted to read May's story. It's really quite interesting.

4/16/09