Life in the little Apple: Chinese family reveal tiny apartment life in New York with five crammed into a 350-sq-ft space in search of American dream

Is this really any different than what many of our own families experienced when they came over from their home countries to start a new life here in America? I know my great grandparents couldn't afford anything more than this themselves when they got here.

Can't afford a decent place to live but pop out children like there's no tomorrow.

I'd rather live in a tiny apartment where I can breathe the air and drink the tap water versus living in polluted China.

These people will likely out-study and out-work the overwhelming majority of native born US people. The American Dream is dead for the lazy and the not very bright. But Chinese immigrants tend to do very, very well.

Did the family (or will the family) enjoy any of the rewards of the book? if it makes any money

This shows that we only need the basic necessities to live. I am one of ten kids and before my two youngest siblings came along, my family and I lived in a one bedroom duplex. We had a bunk bed set up in the living room. My sister and I slept on the bottom bunk and two brothers slept on the top bunk. The rest slept in the bedroom with our parents.

folks faced with this type of struggle will still somehow make it and others stay complaining when they have a better situation. making excuses for why they cant succeed.

Thousands of people live like this here and when drugs and alcohol are involved it becomes hell on earth. At these people look stable and don't have someone beating on them and screaming at them every day. I did.

The way they're gentrifying the lower east side, there won't be any of these apts. left. It's very sad.

Why have 3 kids you cant afford. Completely irresponsible!!! There's not much to admire here or feel sorry for (except for the kids).

Do they know, they could afford much more outside of NYC. That isn't the only place in America.

Good for them. I'm sure they will be successful! America should give them a good shot.

Good for these people!!!My dad was a coal miner in England and we came to Canada to run from Thatcher in 1980. My parents were very broke and we went without a lot. Now as an adult with a self-paid university education and a good middle class job, I can say that I still struggle financially from mortgage, daycare, kids, utilities, etc. We rent out one of our bedrooms to help us and I provide board to our tenant. But the silver lining is that 3 generations in, my kids will never have to save for a down payment on their future home and they will have their schooling paid for. Life is about being happy and never giving up on your goals. Hard work is required to get anywhere in life. I tell my kids this everyday and they have chores to do around the house, so they don't get too privileged.

You mean the government tries to take it away.

How many families of immigrants lived like this when newly arrived in the U.S.? People do what they can with what they have and forge ahead. These children will have a better life than their parents.

Nothing wrong with living within your means. I guarantee you all of their children will go on to college and succeed in their chosen endeavors. We could all do with a little less, myself included!

When I first moved to Manhattan I lived in Soho and my roommate and I had bunk beds and we had a bathtub in the kitchen.

Living in those close quarters, I can imagine why the Lams are divorced now. I would throttle my husband if I had to be that close to every.single.thing.that.irritated me. LOL

There's food on the table and they're looking good.

Would love to chuck all the snot nosed liberals in the NUS in these conditions and teach them the meaning of the hard work and sacrifice.