PDF Life edition by Lu Yao Chloe Estep Ming Ming Lu Eric Abrahamsen Literature Fiction eBooks

Product details File Size 1698 KB Print Length 334 pages Publisher Crossing (March 19, 2019) Publication Date March 19, 2019 Sold by  Digital Services LLC Language English ASIN B07H7GK6YR

Life edition by Lu Yao Chloe Estep Ming Ming Lu Eric Abrahamsen Literature Fiction eBooks Reviews

• A beautifully written saga with fascinating insights into the peasant life of China. The story is very easy to read and throws up lots of questions regarding the huge dependence small communities have on ‘what others’ think....a different take on keeping up with the Jones’s. The characters are so passionately portrayed in terms of their individual perceptions of life, that it makes one want to shake them at times. It a quick read and the style of writing suits the subject matter perfectly - I.e. simple.
  I Highly recommend this book for its portrayal of the China only an insider can communicate .
• Interesting love story and coming of age in a different culture and political environment. Also, a philosophy study.
• It did offer an insight into Chinese life but the Chinese names presented quite a barrier to keeping track of the story. I feel it was not a very good translation of the original Chinese book. I found the story rather sentimental.
• Loved it
• What an opportunity we readers have here. Chinese author Lu Yao had only two published works and died at the age of forty-two, but Life, this superb novella published in 1982 and still a bestseller in China, is now in English translation. It’s the early Eighties, rural China begins a slow forever change, begins to turn away from the community and culture of eons; and we meet Gao Jialin, the educated son of peasants. A sympathetic character, he’s lost his prestigious teaching job, lost face, and is in despair. Lu Yao shares only a brief span of this young man’s life with the wrenching decisions he must make between the known past and the unknown future, a story that portends China’s path from rural to urban.
  
  So very Chinese, yes, but absolutely stunning in its universality. Human beings, past, present, and forever, have acted and will act as this young man does and as those around him do. What is loss of face, but pride, hubris? Do we choose generosity of spirit or cunning ambition? Betrayal or trust? What are we but “I want”? Lu Yao’s quiet work could have played out on a stage in ancient Greece. And one of the simplest, most beautiful opening paragraphs I’ve ever read begins “On the tenth day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar, the evening sky was…”
  
  Full Disclosure A review copy of this book was provided to me by Crossing via NetGalley. I would like to thank the publisher and the author for providing me this opportunity. All opinions expressed herein are my own.
• "Life" is a great, quick read for people looking to have a foray with Chinese Literature. The general tone of the book overall feels similar to other books that I have read from China. It reminded me quite a bit of some of Yu Hua's books such as "To Live" or "Chronicles of a Blood Merchant." It has an honest voice, which idolizes hard work and country life, but it didn't have the humor that is also present in Yu Hua's books. It has a lot of the general themes of Chinese literature too such as overbearing parents, class struggle, manual labor, and nepotism. It's quite similar to other novels written in the 20th century. I am very happy that this book was translated though because I hope that it means that Lu Yao's other book "Ordinary World" also gets translated. I currently live in China and "Ordinary World" is my best friend's favorite book and I would love to read it. "Life" was good, it just was similar to other books that I had read before. If you're a fan of the class struggle in provincial China genre, you will greatly enjoy this novel.
• I am fairly knowledgeable about Chinese history, having taught Chinese art for many years, but I think this book could be appreciated by anyone with any level of knowledge about Chinese history. It isn't a quick read, but it isn't meant to be. Think Pearl Buck's Good Earth without the orientalist problems.
  
  The story is a sort of classic one, country mouse, in this case, a young man, in the big city. But, the text is so incredibly beautiful. I was honestly surprised. Books in translation, particularly those that rely on the cadence and music of another language, can lose something in another language. I don't read Chinese, so I can't compare this to the original. But, I definitely think this is worth a read.
  
  I hope schools use this book instead of Pearl Buck or other stories about China written by a white author.
  
  Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
• I am seated on the floor of my small apartment contemplating how best to share my views on this book. It is a quarter to eleven and the temperature is soaring towards a steady 28 degrees Celcius.
  
  I am drinking my first cup of tea and probably the last if the temperatures spike.
  
  Reading, Life, is getting an intimate/ personal account of Gao Jialin’s life from his struggles with belonging, earning societal approval, working and most of all pursuing his dreams without the interference of any corrupt people. He exhibits bouts of anger just as he does those of joy and it makes this quite an interesting read.
  
  I love how the story begins with precision “On the tenth day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar…”
  
  There were instances where I felt that the author dwelled too much on what was going on inside Gao’s head and wished that we’d have more on those around him, to better understand his frustration and their expectations of him.
  
  However, this story will be memorable because we all struggle with fulfilling our desires and ambitions and when you read about someone who isn’t willing to back down then it leaves a mark, albeit a good one.
  I got to read this book courtesy of Netgalley. You can pre-order a kindle copy of this on $4.99