China Books I Love
Oct 2nd, 2009 by Jocelyn
Love China like I do? Then you might just love some of my favorite China books, which I’ve listed with my own comments. (Note: Titles are linked directly to Amazon, where your purchase helps support Speaking of China. Thanks for your support!)
Choose a subject:
Activism and Change in China
Chinese Culture and History
The Cultural Revolution
Doing Business in China
Love and Family in China
Modern China
Activism and Change in China
Will the Boat Sink the Water?: The Life of China’s Peasants
A shocking, page-turning expose on why China’s peasants still can’t get ahead.
Wild Grass: Three Portraits of Change in Modern China
Three encouraging, and compelling, tales of Chinese who dare to work for change. A pleasure to read.
Chinese Culture and History
The Good Earth
Classic — the rise and fall of a family in China’s pre-Communist countryside.
A Dream of Red Mansions by Cao Xueqin
One of China’s four great classic novels — and a memorable commentary on Chinese culture itself.
Three Kingdoms: Chinese Classics by Luo Guanzhong
A must-read classic tale of war and struggle that has shaped the lives and language of China’s people.
Outlaws of the Marsh
China’s spellbinding “robin hood” tales from the Song Dynasty. Song Jiang is still one of my favorite characters of all time!
Journey to the West
The must-read, classic story of how Buddhism came to China, and about China’s beloved Monkey King.
The Cultural Revolution
Wild Swans : Three Daughters of China
Learn about the impact of Chairman Mao’s rule through three generations of Chinese women.
Red Azalea
The Cultural Revolution book to read if you’re burned out by the usual Cultural Revolution stories. The narrative is touching, personal and delves into forbidden loves and desires that most books never speak of. Once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down.
Doing Business in China
Mr. China: A Memoir
For Clissold, everything that can go wrong in doing business in China does — and you will learn and laugh along with him! A fun read.
One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China
Compelling tales from the business world in China, from Rupert Murdoch’s cross-cultural media marriage, to Hu Shuli’s courageous business journalism. This book may be about business, but reading it is all about fun.
Love and Family in China
East Wind: West Wind
A foreigner in the family? The narrator, a young Chinese woman, tells the story of her brother and his love affair — and eventual marriage — to an American woman in pre-Communist China, when traditional Chinese culture was already being challenged by Western ideas and customs.
Foreign Babes in Beijing: Behind the Scenes of a New China
A woman who dared to love Chinese men on screen (and off), as well as Chinese culture. DeWoskin writes about it all with passion and humor.
Repeat After Me: A Novel by Rachel DeWoskin
A tale of cross-cultural love between an American girl and a Chinese dissident (and, later China) — and how, when things fall apart, you can find the strength to move forward from unlikely people and places.
Six Records of a Floating Life
This reads like a Valentine to Shen Fu’s true love, Yun, who tragically passes away before her time, all because of family misunderstandings. A moving, real story from the Qing Dynasty, written by a poor scholar.
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers: Stories
Chinese fiction like you’ve never read before. The gay unmarried son, a bisexual Peking Opera singer, a couple with a daughter they hide, and more.
Modern China
China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power
It’s your college’s modern China 101 class, written with humor, insight, and hope for this fascinating country.
Soul Mountain
Arresting story of a journey (on many levels) through post-Mao China, when the country awakens. The only Chinese novel to win a Nobel Prize.
River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze
Chinese culture, history and politics, beautifully told through this lovingly crafted portrait of a town on the Yangtze River. A personal favorite.
Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China
The title refers to the story behind one important man in the discovery of oracle bones. But Hessler also takes the reader on a journey through what it means to be Chinese in modern China. Another favorite of mine.
Chinese Lessons: Five Classmates and the Story of the New China
The Cultural Revolution. Opening up and Reform. Tian’anmen and after. All told through the eyes of Pomfret and his extraordinary Chinese classmates. Great read.
Follow me on Twitter
Follow blog on Facebook
I noticed that most of these books are by foreign authors, and I thought you might be interested to hear about some modern fiction by Chinese authors that is very much worth looking into. All of the authors and works mentioned are available in English translation.
A good introduction to contemporary Chinese writing is an anthology of short stories called “Chairman Mao Would Not Be Amused.” It is a pretty good survey of post-Cultural Revolution fiction from the 1980s and 1990s. Also, an early 20th century writer, Lu Xun, is an absolute must-read, especially his short story, “Diary of a Madman.”
Some notable authors that you might want to check out are Yu Hua, who wrote “To Live.” There’s also Wang Shuo, Mo Yan, Ha Jin and countless others whose names I can’t recall at the moment. Reading their works can be difficult sometimes because of translation issues and not being familiar with their historical context, but I think that reading the literature enhances one’s understanding greatly. Everything I learned about Chinese history in college I learned in literature and film classes.
Jocelyn, please give a “peek” at some of the books of Ha Jin. His early novel, WAITING, is a classic for understanding the Patience often found in Chinese Love. RichFromTampa
Dear RichFromTampa,
Thanks for the friendly nudge! It’s on my short list — and because of your recommendation, I’ll be sure to get to it sooner.
Hi Jocelyn,
one absolute favorite of mine that I read while living in Taiwan and before going to ‘real’ China: 四世同堂, Four Generations under One Roof by Lao She (老舍.) Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a solid translation in English (was never able to find one), I read it in French but you can find the drama that is quite close to the novel (it’s easy to find on dvd in China, ask your offical calligrapher, or even online, do a search in Chinese and enjoy.)
This novel made me fall in love over again with the Chinese and their resilience. It’s a must! And next time you go to Beijing, you can visit his former house!
Addendum:
Try this to watch 四世同堂 online, with fast streaming speed and good quality definition. Enjoy!!!
http://movie.video.sina.com.cn/teleplay/newsstt/detail.html
Not all video websites work outside China, this one does. And it has tons of other dramas too.
Thanks for the suggestion, Elise — sounds like something I would enjoy. I will definitely look at the video link.