Ben Lin, a senior analytical chemist, entrepreneur, restaurateur, actor, and author, shares the remarkable story of his life. With clear and engaging prose, Lin recounts his entrepreneurial journey, including the commercialization of America’s first packaged won ton soup. He also delves into his diverse roles as an actor, voice-over artist, journalist, pianist, and celebrated restaurateur. Lin’s intelligent and expert writing brings even his most embarrassing moments to life, making for an entertaining read. His talent for public speaking shines through as he keeps readers hooked with his stories. Throughout the memoir, Lin offers insightful reflections on racism, the immigrant experience, belonging, heritage, and identity. His extraordinary life is a testament to the power of hard work, perseverance, and resilience, offering hope and inspiration to all who read it.

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Ben Lin was born in Shanghai in 1933. His father was a banker and mother a teacher. They immigrated to the US in 1950. A Penn graduate, he researched with microchemistry at DuPont, where he also had a stint as a marketing executive. Dubbed “The Wonton Wizard” by the Washington Post, he commercialized America’s first packaged won ton soup and sweet and sour pork, was owner-chef of the award-winning Jade Palace in Philadelphia and taught cooking at the China Institute in New York. Holding a master’s degree in journalism from Temple, he contributed occasionally to Philadelphia magazine, wrote for South Jersey’s largest daily, the Courier-Post, and published elsewhere, including in USA Today.

He has been an actor since 1980, having amassed some 80 commercials and dozens of stage, movie and TV credits and acted opposite such luminaries as Robert De Niro and Kathleen Turner. Critically acclaimed for his performances in the plays The Imposter and The Wash, he voiced the Oscar documentary nominee Birdnesters of Thailand. And played the title role of China’s Andy Rooney on Onion News’ video. He is married to Serena, a former graphic arts designer.

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Hayla

My Nine Lives: An Exuberant Adventure comes from a true "Renaissance Man" who is a renowned chef, actor, and acclaimed pianist. Here, Ben Lin recounts the heady flight of all his abilities as he moves into the world powered by an inferiority complex that motivates rather than limits him: "Lasting from the birth of my younger brother till I was in my mid-50s, it destroyed my self-confidence, crippled my relationship with women, darkened my outlook of the future, and made me an emotional wreck. Ironically, the liability also turned out to be a positive force, a redemption that inspired me to try harder to overcome adversities, turn weakness into strength, and pursue the impossible dream—without which I could not have embarked on my exuberant journey of diversified endeavors, my “nine lives.” Readers looking for inspirational memoirs that chart an upward trajectory through not just one career path, but a number of talents and opportunities for using them, will relish My Nine Lives. It explores the motivations, insights, and career moves of an entrepreneur who overcame many odds to make the most of his life. From his early years in China and his struggles to overcome the hurdle of proficiency in English to his forays into cooking, teaching, and interacting with students to influence their own evolving lives, Lin captures the excitement and nuances of a career and life that moves forward into various new ventures with enthusiasm: "...there was no greater joy than to impart the knowledge of something I loved to well-motivated enthusiasts." Lin takes the time to describe all these milieus, from the complexities of Chinese regional cooking and the different cultures and approaches it represents to moving from cooking and the culinary world to teaching, acting, and performing. From new developments to debuts and career changes, Lin's memoir absorbs the complexity of a multifaceted life, flavoring it with examples of overcoming obstacles to make the most of opportunities. The result is a lively memoir that requires no prior familiarity with Ben Lin, but an appreciation for specific examples of a well-lived life and what it means to overcome adversity to rise to the top. Libraries looking for such memoirs, as well as collections strong in Chinese cultural experiences, will find My Nine Lives: An Exuberant Adventure more than lives up to its subtitle, imparting a sense of adventure and achievement to audiences who would emulate its energy and lessons.