Monthly Short Story Reading

[Meng Lelan]

I love 祝福 - it is possibly 鲁迅's best. I haven't read 早安北京 - who wrote that?

It was published in 2005 by 徐坤.

If I start up Short Story of the Month, the short stories are going to run anywhere from Lu Xun up to Yu Hua, something like that. I'm particularly interested in the contemporary short stories that deal with Chinese treatment of the disabled ( like in 我没有自己的名字）But it will be a very very eclectic mix.

We'll see if there's even an iota of interest in this, uh, venture.

[rob07]

I'm particularly interested in the contemporary short stories that deal with Chinese treatment of the disabled

Sounds like an interesting theme. 我没有自己的名字 (and 余华 in general) is also a favourite of mine. I remember the collection I read that in also had another story with a mentally disabled main character called 二分之一的傻瓜 by 夏商, which was also good.

On physical disability, you probably know 王朔's 永失我爱. Probably bedwetting can't count as a disability but one of my favourite stories is 舒家兄弟 by 苏童.

Not sure if I can think of any others, what else do you like?

But it will be a very very eclectic mix.

Interested to hear your other recommendations

[Meng Lelan]

Oh you'll hear quite a few more recommendations if I start up this thing, and it would be interesting to hear recommendations from others too. Trying to build up suspense, you know.

[roddy]

Best thing to do is start a new topic under Reading and Writing describing what you'd like to do, and seeing who is interested / what it would take to get other people interested. The only people reading this topic now are likely those already involved in BotM and reading 家, which to be frank isn't all that many.

It's definitely something I'd like to see happen.

[renzhe]

I'm still interested in a short-story reading club, as long as the stories are available online. I don't know if I'd read all of them, but I'd definitely look into all the classics and popular contemporary stories. 鲁迅, 余华, 萧红, stuff like that would be great.

Perhaps it would make sense to split the posts about this topic into a new thread like "Short story of the month reading club" or similar

Edited April 21, 2009 at 12:46 PM by renzhe

[Meng Lelan]

Ok, I'm ready, roddy or whoever is trying to moderate this thread here, can you split off some of the posts (mainly mine) here and put them into a new thread/category/whatever you call it, under a heading of something like Short Story of the Month Reading Club? Then I'll go into there and come up with various proposals. Duo xie.

[Meng Lelan]

Thanks roddy for helping me set up this thread.

I am going to come up with a list of proposed short stories (preferably those that can be read online) within the next few days. Anyone else here is welcome to recommend possible short stories for consideration.

[renzhe]

I'm busy reading 家 right now, but as far as classics go, I liked 药 by 鲁迅 and 手 by 萧红. Both available online.

[skylee]

I suggest 像我這樣的一個女子 (A woman like me) by 西西 (Xi Xi).

Read -> http://www.hkflash.com/diary/read.asp?id=tanghofung&aid=15770647

[Meng Lelan]

Wow - good recommendations already! Xie xie to skylee and renzhe.

I think we can get this going starting in May because right now I'm undergoing teacher evaluations at school until the last week of April.

[Lu]

Xi Xi is great, I read only very little of her stories, but what I read was great.

As to handicap-themed stories, Chen Cun 陈村 is an author who is handicapped, and I've been told that some of his stories have that theme (not the ones I read though).

[Shadowdh]

I would be up for this... but like everything in my life right now (well except the wife and kids) it will have to be on hold till after exams 06 May... cannot wait!!

[wushijiao]

I suggest 像我這樣的一個女子 (A woman like me) by 西西 (Xi Xi).

I would also be ok with this.

But I'll try to participate in whatever is choosen.

[Meng Lelan]

Great to see the recommendations rolling in!

Ok. I think this is what we might do. I'll do what I can to keep this thread rolling - that is, about the beginning of the month I can select a story based on reader recommendations, tell why I am selecting the story, provide the online link to the story, and write up a little introduction about the author.

I'm sure you folks are up to discussing the story as you go along - that is, post questions, make comments, answer questions etc etc

For May I'll probably start with 我没有自己的名字 because it's so disturbing, at least for me.

For June, maybe a story by 西西 or 鲁迅 or 萧红.

skylee, is there a 简体字 version of 像我這樣的一個女子 online? - this is in case we have folks here who want to read 简体字.

[skylee]

paste the name of the story on baidu and I got this simplified version -> 像我这样的一个女子

Do note that all the versions seem to have the same typos, such as 魂飛晚散 vs 魂飛魄散 and 間 vs 問, etc.

[extrapages]

the little prince!

so i can read it in english and pretend to follow along!

[Meng Lelan]

Ah, extrapages, nice recommendation, but as far as the Little Prince is concerned, no, because the author was French and the original was in French which I read when I was about 17. Actually I would recommend Vol de Nuit in French by the same author. His wartime letters to his mother were also very moving to read.

Too bad I can't start up a French social group for reading works of Saint Exupery. Ah well.

Skylee, thanks for letting me know about baidu for the 简体字 version.

Teacher evals are coming along nicely for me so I am sure this thread will really rev up next week in time for the May short story. Stay tuned, all of you.

[extrapages]

The original is French, but they have a Chinese version... don't they? I'd be surprised if they didn't. And it would be an easier read since you know what to expect and the general story line.

Anyway, a Chinese coworker just suggested these from author 亦舒:

猫儿眼，盼望，怪女孩

[Meng Lelan]

Actually the Little Prince was weird and depressing in many ways...

Anyway, a Chinese coworker just suggested these from author 亦舒:

猫儿眼，盼望，怪女孩

Thanks for those recommendations, I can put those in the proposed line up of short stories.

[imron]

Too bad I can't start up a French social group for reading works of Saint Exupery.

Why not?