World Books News & Views
Absolute Career Change
Su Tong's historical novel explores the rise and fall of an emperor who misunderstands the nature of power. Reviewed by Sabina Knight. read more
Cosmic Conga Line
Gao Xingjian's new play could be another "Lion King" in the right creative hands. Read more.
Translating Sorrow
Michael Berry talks about translating "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow," Chinese author Wang Anyi's acclaimed yarn about the allure of filmmaking and the city of Shanghai. read more
China's Nobel Prize Blues
When the winners of the 2007 Nobel Prizes accepted their awards there was dismay in certain Chinese political and intellectual circles. Literary travelers to China cannot help but be amazed at the sheer amount of energy devoted to the question of when and if a Chinese writer will receive a Nobel Prize in Literature. read more
Lust, Caution, Real Estate
Ang Lee's movie "Lust, Caution" has made a star of Chinese author Eileen Chang. Residents of an old, unremarkable seven-story building on Shanghai's Changde Road have been invaded by curious people particularly interested in a sixth-floor corner apartment. It turns out the snoopers have figured out that this was the former residence of a famous writer named Zhang Ailing, (aka Eileen Chang) who lived there between 1942 and 1948. read more
Reviews
The Politics Behind China's Nobel Complex
An intriguing new study explores China's determination to raise its cultural profile around the world. Author Julia Lovell analyzes the country's schizophrenia about the august literary prize: China's deep-seated fear that its literature will fall short of Western standards clashes with the country's resentment about having to look for artistic validation outside of its own borders. read more
Fictional Dissent
In this collection of novellas, Wang Xiaobo's characters often express a common spirit: an unwillingness to directly confront opposition but a stubborn persistence in gaining one's own desire. read more
The Seamy Side of the People's Republic
A new collection of short stories by Zhu Wen, one of China's most talented young writers, offers eye-opening glimpses of the dark side of China. Set among the mundane landscapes of 1990s, Zhu's stories create Kafkaesque tableaus rife with the tragicomic details of daily life that rush by in this fast-changing country. read more
