Four mothers, four daughters, four families whose histories shift with the four winds depending on who's "saying" the stories. In 1949 four Chinese women, recent immigrants to San Francisco, begin meeting to eat dim sum, play mahjong, and talk. United in shared unspeakable loss and hope, they call themselves the Joy Luck Club.

Until now, a comprehensive book on Chinese mahjong for English-speaking readers did not exist.
Finally, The Book of Mahjong meets that long-sought need, as author Amy Lo, in consultation with many master players of different forms of mahjong, offers the most complete mahjong guide ever.
It includes:
* Over 160 full-color instructive photographs
* Instruction on authentic Chinese mahjong, as well as the Cantonese, Shanghai, and 12-tile versions of the game
* An explanation of rituals and rules only the most experienced players know
* A mahjong guide for all skill levels, from beginners to pros