What are you reading?

[Meng Lelan]

roddy can I please first finish vomiting from ghastly reading before I do that, thank you for your patience.

[joshuawbb]

Wow! There is a Chinese translated version of Battle Royale (大逃杀) by Koushun Takami.

I wonder if there is a Chinese translated version of The Hunger Games?

I am reading the 鬼吹灯 series along with the audio files. The narrator is one of the best I've ever heard.

Simplified versions are available, looks like all three Hunger Games books are here: http://www.amazon.cn...d-keywords=饥饿游戏

I was very happily surprised to find the Chinese translation of Battle Royale, though it's not published in the mainland. It was a last minute thing in Hong Kong; I asked the bookstore staff if it existed, didn't have my hopes up, but there it was in two very well-printed volumes.

[imron]

but remembered that I had only read pages of 兄弟 in a bookstore and realised that I did not want to read his books

This book is probably a bad one to form an impression of him from, especially if you only read the first few pages (all about the protaganist perving at women in public toilets). His other books are not quite so puerile.

That being said, obviously Yu Hua is not Bai Juyi, just like J.K. Rowling is not Shakespeare, but there's room in the world of literature for both :-)

[OneEye]

Starting 《流星·蝴蝶·劍》（上） today, as a toe in the water for the "one novel per month" project I'm planning to do next year. I'm giving myself just over a month this time, since this will be the first Chinese novel I've read. Not the first book though – I have a few academic books under my belt.

I considered reading 《那些年，我們一起追的女孩》， which would probably be easier, but I've seen the movie so many times recently (working through the subtitles, mimicking the way the characters talk, etc.) that I think I would get sick of it. I'll save that one for later. Maybe February, since it's a shorter book.

[laurenth]

please first finish vomiting from ghastly reading

Have you finished yet? : - )

I'd be interested to read why you or Skylee think 余华 is that bad. Is it his writing that you find "ghastly" or the things he describes? Before I started studying Chinese, I had read a few translations of 20th century novels about 20th century China (e.g. 苏童's 米, 莫言's 红高粱家族). The events that were described were often heart-breaking, bloody, cruel or even unbearable, but it was moving literature and, for a foreigner, an eye-opener about recent Chinese history.

I've read a translation of 兄弟 and then, in Chinese, 许三观卖血记. I've read about a third of 活着 at the moment. For me, 余华's novels are at least as moving as they are brutal and down-to-earth. He has a knack for intermingling personal tribulations and collective tragedies. Plus, his novels allow us foreigners to - hopefully - better understand what happened in China in the 2nd half of the 20th century.

If there are any Spanish speakers around, 余华's mixture of crude realism and humor, personal drama and national tragedy, more than once reminded me of Nobel laureate Camilo José Cela's La Familia de Pascual Duarte.

Just my point of view, of course, and BTW I also love 白居易!

[skylee]

Why should anyone explain what s/he likes or dislikes? I am not interested in 余華's books, and I don't read them, period. I am not saying that other people should not read them. I also don't like the much acclaimed 圍城. I don't even understand why people rave about it. But these are just my views and likes and dislikes.

I like 蘇童, though.

[eslang]

@Realmayo - Thanks for that great link to more Chinese poems. Shall take my time to relish the poems.

@Meng Lelan - Thanks, I get it now. Just like Bai Juyi is also known as 白楽天 in Japanese. Thank you for your recommendation. Later on, I might look into a short course in classical Chinese to further understand and appreciate Bai Juyi other poems.

@Skylee - No doubt about it. I had read in an article somewhere, about the Tang Poets and it was mentioned that Bai Juyi peoms are easy to follow as he used very simple language and great for beginners.

Well, as for Yu Hua, his writing isn't that bad. I attend a small group here (in Japan) that focus mainly on "books that were made into films" - since Yu Hua novel "活着" is also available in Japanese (translated version) and there are Chinese text and audio files online, it is much more accessible.

Most of the time, it is about Japanese prominent writers whose books were made into films and whether the English and/or Chinese translated version are available. It might not seem such a good idea, but I just make do with whatever material is at hand. :-)

@joshuawbb - There are simplied Chinese versions of all three Hunger Games. Thank you for the link! I think you are lucky to get that two volumes of Battle Royale in Chinese translation. Pardon me for asking, but I don't understand why the books are published in Hong Kong but not in mainland China?

[Guest realmayo]

Why should anyone explain what s/he likes or dislikes?

Well, because it's normal behaviour when it come to books, in that it helps other people understand a bit more about the books and authors in question. Otherwise, all they are learning about is you, i.e. a list of your likes and dislikes. I don't think you should feel that anyone was trying to pressure you or suggest that you should or shouldn't have certain preferences for this or that author, for these or those books.

[skylee]

When I started this thread (in 2004!!), I was just interested in knowing what other people were reading (thus the title of the thread). It is very OK for people to explain why they like/dislike a certain book. I sometimes do (about the ghastly 50 shades of gray, for example). I might also be interested in other people's opinions about certain books, but I don't think that one needs to explain why s/he feels about certain things. Sharing is good, but not compulsory (I hope).

as to Yu Hua, I think imron's observation in #823 is very relevant.

[Meng Lelan]

Why should anyone explain what s/he likes or dislikes?

It would be almost funny if everyone on the forum joins in to try to psychoanalyze my likes and dislikes.

[roddy]

I disliked Brothers for the same reason as Skylee, I couldn't get past the smutty opening. I rated 10 Words very highly though, and hope it one day comes out of Meng Lelan's closet for rehabilitation.

Actually reread 黄金时代 recently. Always good to revisit your favourites.

[imron]

I disliked Brothers for the same reason as Skylee, I couldn't get past the smutty opening.

Once you get past the smutty opening though, it's actually quite good.

[gougou]

Once you get past the smutty opening though, it's actually quite good.

Of course, if it's the smut you don't like, you might put the book down again when it gets to the beauty competition for virgins and the events surrounding that.

(Having said that, I didn't have a problem with either of these scenes.)

[imron]

I didn't have a problem with the beauty competition or the other parts involving sex, but the toilet perving thing felt like it dragged on for too long.

[amandagmu]

Well now I'm looking forward to 兄弟, which I just happened to check out of the library the other day. I was hoping for 活着 but they didn't have it. I read Ten Words (in English) in about 3-4 hours. Good stuff!

Of course, it's going to be baby steps for me, considering I've spent the last two years reading horribly formal and boring things like 简报，报告，通知，ETC and various 杂志 and 报纸 from the 50s and 60s. If only contemporary Chinese was still structured on Maoist/high socialism slogans and Mao Zedong thought then I'd be OK. Le sigh.

Looking forward to the change!!!! I'd rather stick a fork in my eye than see any more statistics.

[Lu]

Of course, if it's the smut you don't like, you might put the book down again when it gets to the beauty competition for virgins and the events surrounding that.

I haven't read Brothers but it's things like this that make me not want to either. I don't mind smut as such, but what turns me off in too many Chinese novels these days is the objectification of women (peeping, rape, contests like the one above, you name it). Women are actually people, much as men are, but I haven't read any book from the last 10 years or so that recognizes that. There are writers from a bit longer ago (Zhang Jie, Xi Xi, Sanmao, Ba Jin, Hong Ying, in no particular order) that do get it, but I get the impression that in new literature, women-as-people is not a very popular trope. Recommendations proving me wrong are always welcome. Du Lala has already been mentioned earlier

Now reading Han Han's 1988 我想和这个世界谈谈, which I fear will be another case in point.

[Meng Lelan]

objectification of women (peeping, rape, contests like the one above, you name it).

That's one of the many reasons I do not like Yu Hua. His book 10 Words had some of that in there too.

Which reminds me I have to write up a little review of 10 Words....after my final exams this week.

[Lu]

That's one of the many reasons I do not like Yu Hua.

I remember enjoying 活着 though. I don't recall that one being particularly female-unfriendly.

[laurenth]

When Yu Hua depicts women as being objectified, exploited, etc. I took that as a criticism of that situation. On the other hand, the way males are depicted is equally pessimistic. The image that Yu Hua gives of human beings in general, males and females, is not positive, to say the least. There's not much room for freedom of thought, feelings, hope, ethics, etc. His characters are often helpless wrecks tossed by the tides of history.

[imron]

Du Lala has already been mentioned earlier

This has a main female protaganist, however she's still hopeless without her boyfriend - who's a lying, cheating sleaze, but she still loves him.