Publisher Description
From one of China’s most acclaimed writers, his first work of nonfiction to appear in English: a unique, intimate look at the Chinese experience over the last several decades, told through personal stories and astute analysis that sharply illuminate the country’s meteoric economic and social transformation. Framed by ten phrases common in the Chinese vernacular—“people,” “leader,” “reading,” “writing,” “Lu Xun” (one of the most influential Chinese writers of the twentieth century), “disparity,” “revolution,” “grassroots,” “copycat,” and “bamboozle”—China in Ten Words reveals as never before the world’s most populous yet oft-misunderstood nation. In “Disparity,” for example, Yu Hua illustrates the mind-boggling economic gaps that separate citizens of the country. In “Copycat,” he depicts the escalating trend of piracy and imitation as a creative new form of revolutionary action. And in “Bamboozle,” he describes the increasingly brazen practices of trickery, fraud, and chicanery that are, he suggests, becoming a way of life at every level of society. Characterized by Yu Hua’s trademark wit, insight, and courage, China in Ten Words is a refreshingly candid vision of the “Chinese miracle” and all its consequences, from the singularly invaluable perspective of a writer living in China today.
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“I read memoirs about growing up in China, often. This one is a non-linear narrative spanning the Cultural Revolution (1967–1977) and into modern-day China. Since I didn’t know much about the Cultural Revolution (even though my parents lived through that decade too), I learned a lot. The stories were good too, poetic and funny. This book was very easy to read; I read the whole thing in 24 hours, in the middle of a school week! I wasn’t very compelled by two of the later words, “copycat” and “bamboozle,” though (they seemed very similar and maybe not that essential?).”
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Kathy (4 out of 5 stars)
