MCLC: Pathlight: New Chinese Writing 2

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: alice liu (alicexinliu at gmail.com)
Subject: Pathlight: New Chinese Writing 2
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Hi list members,

I just wanted to post on the second issue of Pathlight
(http://paper-republic.org/alicexinliu/pathlight-new-chinese-writing-4/ ).
I am also seeking suggestions for pieces into translation (poetry,
fiction, non-fiction, essays, criticism) for future issues, so please
reply off list. New translators are also welcome!

Alice

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Source: Paper Republic:
http://paper-republic.org/alicexinliu/pathlight-new-writing-the-london-book
-fair-available-to-download/

The second issue of Pathlight: New Chinese Writing, themed ³The London
Book Fair,² is now downloadable as Epub (most devices including Apple) and
Mobi (Kindle devices) by following this link
(http://paper-republic.org/pathlight/)!

The kind of writing that is coming out of China right now include
chick-lit, family-orientated dramas, tales of escape from the rural to the
urban, of grievous policies in the countryside, science fiction, and
historical epics. It¹s possible that we cover all of those topics in the
new issue.

There was, of course, a ruckus
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2012/mar/23/london-
book-fair-china-banned ) surrounding writers who went to the Book Fair.
But in the new issue of Pathlight we cover some of the writers who went to
the fair, who I think deserves attention.

Jin Renshun¹s chick-lit tale ³Skylark² is a story of a young woman who
enjoys the attentions of a married man. The story reminds me of ³Birdsong²
by Chmamanda Ngozi Adichie in the New Yorker¹s 20 under 40 collection.
Meanwhile, China¹s highest ranked science fiction author, Liu Cixin
(wordswithoutborders.org/article/from-ball-lightning) talks about the
physics of the speed of light, as well as the imaginative idea that God
can live with humans in ³Taking Care of God.² Sheng Keyi (published by
Penguin China this year) wrote a satirical piece relating adultery with
food in ³Fishbone.²

I think there is a real sign that Chinese literature can still surprise
people, and can join in a cacophony of world literature that has style and
universal themes at centre of it.