What should I read?

[rootfool]

bought one of the large 《中国通史》books with lots of pictures, but found it read more like a storybook of chronologically-ordered famous events and people than an actual history book.

who is the author of the book?

there're many versions of 《中国通史》。the version which written by 范文瀾 or 白壽彝 are better than others.

[gato]

Read 王小波's《黄金时代》 first. I think you'll like it, and it is pretty easy to read compared to the others.

[rootfool]

I also like his novel.Some people who likes him very much called themselves 王小波门下走狗.

And one of them said:"After you read wang xiao bo's novel,you 'll have two possiblity:one is starting to write a novel at once.another is didn't write novel any more.

[gougou]

中华散文精粹

I bought that one at Wangfujing yesterday (as the only installment of the 知道一点。。。 series they had was the one not about China). Got through the first three or four today, and I'm loving it. I always thought 散文 was some kind of dull essay, but it turns out they're pretty much like short stories. Just what I need for my daily commute - thanks, gato!

[roddy]

Read 王小波's《黄金时代》 first. I think you'll like it, and it is pretty easy to read compared to the others.

Nice thing about Wang Xiaobo for learners is that he's generally easy to read, is actually funny, and perhaps most importantly, he wrote lots of short stuff. Picked up one volume of the complete works today (have no idea how many different editions of his stuff there are, I must have paid for some of his stuff seven times over by now) and am enjoying the short story 绿毛水怪。I haven't finished it yet, but so far nobody's died or been beaten to a pulp, so that's one up on 余华。

Incidentally if anyone has bits and pieces of Wang Xiaobo lying around they're not reading, check to see if you have the short story 猫 anywhere, and if you do sit down and read it.

[gato]

中华散文精粹

Got through the first three or four today, and I'm loving it.

In that case, I should go buy a copy myself. Haha. You should 胡适's essay "我的母亲". I read it some time ago and found it really touching.

I've been browsing through my neighborhood bookstores looking for the perfect essay compilation lately. But perfection is not easy, and I haven't actually bought one, yet. Maybe I'll get the one you are reading. I do already a collection edited by 贾平凹 called 影响了我的三十二篇美文, which is not too bad. But some of the essays in it are pretty dopey.

By the way, 冯骥才 who edited your 中华散文精粹 is both a writer and a painter.

Here is his profile:

http://baike.baidu.com/view/33882.htm

And his blog showing some of his paintings:

http://blog.sina.com.cn/fengjicai

冯骥才的博客

[Pravit]

BTW, if anyone does buy the Peking University 中国古代简史, make sure you get the version with maps (I believe it has a greenish cover?). I was quite irritated after noticing this version existed, since mine is mapless.

[gougou]

I always thought 散文 was some kind of dull essay,

Turns out I was not completely wrong about that. I've skipped a few by now that discussed four characters from Zhuangzi, or described a certain painter... Still like the others, though, mainly for being easily understandable, and giving me an impression of how some famous writers like 老舍 or 巴金 write.

[gato]

if anyone does buy the Peking University 中国古代简史, make sure you get the version with maps (I believe it has a greenish cover?). I was quite irritated after noticing this version existed, since mine is mapless.

I think you mean 《简明中国古代史》by 张传玺 published by Beijing University Press. I bought a copy today. I was amused by the preface in which the author said that one of the special things about the book is that it's based on historical materialist perspective. Nevertheless, I bought a copy because the format looked good. I like the pictures and maps (haha), and each chapter is fairly short (7-10 pages) and appeared to be an easy read. If you are looking for a basic outline of Chinese history written in Chinese, I think this is a good book to get.

If anyone is interested, I also bought these books:

往事何堪哀 by 王彬彬, stories of the Party's treatment of intellectuals in its early days;

经典常谈 by 朱自清, introduction to Chinese classics (such as the Confucius's Analects) by 朱自清, one of the most famous of pre-1949 essayists;

品读经典 edited 腾浩, a collection of famous essays from the 1920s to present day.

[muyongshi]

For some online reading resources look here.

Has classics, moderns, children's junk and all in all a good FREE resource...