Bamboo Heart

About the Book

My memoir, Bamboo is both a Cinderella and American success story told from a woman’s perspective. Born during the Japanese occupation of Korea in surviving the hardships of World War II with my widowed mother and brothers, I became a singer to support my family. I began performing for GIs at Pusan, singing American songs I’d learned from the radio, and went on to become a celebrity touring clubs in Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, I fell in love with and married NBC correspondent Ron Nessen, and when he became White House press secretary, danced with President Ford, and met other world leaders such as Anwar Sadat and Emperor Hirohito. With Ron away so often on assignment, I was forced to survive by myself in the culture of where we lived - Mexico, London, New York and Washington DC- and to cope with the loneliness of being an immigrant. I brought my mother, my brothers and their families to live with me for support. When my marriage broke apart, I started my own successful company that arranged events, interviews and contacts between Korean and American sports, business and political figures. My journey as Song Young-Hee picking leeches off her legs as she struggled in the rice paddies, to Cindy Song entertaining the troops, to Cindy Nessen “American Wife” is a compelling tale of physical and emotional personal growth and final happiness. Like the bamboo, I bent but did not break.

About the Author

My memoir, Bamboo Heart, is both a Cinderella and American success story told from a woman’s perspective. Born during the Japanese occupation of Korea and surviving the hardships of World War II with my widowed mother and brothers, I became a singer to support my family. I began performing for GIs at Pusan, singing American songs I’d learned from the radio, and went on to become a celebrity touring clubs in Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, I fell in love with and married NBC correspondent Ron Nessen, and when he became White House press secretary, danced with President Ford and met other world leaders such as Anwar Sadat and Emperor Hirohito. With Ron away so often on assignment, I was forced to survive by myself in the culture of where we lived—Mexico, London, New York and Washington DC—and to cope with the loneliness of being an immigrant. I brought my mother, my brothers and their families to live with me for support. When my marriage broke apart, I started my own successful company that arranged events, interviews and contacts between Korean and American sports, business and political figures. My journey as Song Young-Hee, picking leeches off her legs as she struggled in the rice paddies, to Cindy Song entertaining the troops, to Cindy Nessen “American Wife,” is a compelling tale of emotional personal growth and final happiness. Like the bamboo, I bent but did not break.