The Attic: Memoir of a Chinese Landlord's Son
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Book Overview
Novelist Guanlong Cao's autobiographical account of growing up in urban Shanghai affords a rare glimpse into daily life during the forty turbulent years following the Communist Revolution. Forced to the bottom of Chinese society as "class enemies," Cao's family eked out a meager existence in a cramped attic. The details of their day-to-day existence--the endless quest for enough food, its preparation, Cao's schooling and friends, the stirrings of sexual desire, his dreams and fantasies--are brought brilliantly to life in spare yet evocative prose. The memoir illuminates a world largely unknown to Westerners, one where human pettiness, cruelty, joy, and tenderness play themselves out against a backdrop of political upheaval and material scarcity.
Reminiscent of the concise style of classical Chinese memoirs, Cao's lean, elegant prose heightens the emotional intensity of his story. Perceptive and humorous, his voice is deeply original. It is a voice that demands to be heard--for the historical moment it captures as well as for the personal revelations it distills.
Reminiscent of the concise style of classical Chinese memoirs, Cao's lean, elegant prose heightens the emotional intensity of his story. Perceptive and humorous, his voice is deeply original. It is a voice that demands to be heard--for the historical moment it captures as well as for the personal revelations it distills.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0520204069
ISBN13:9780520204065
Release Date:November 1998
Publisher:University of California Press
Length:255 Pages
Weight:0.65 lbs.
Dimensions:0.6" x 5.4" x 8.2"
Customer Reviews
4 ratings
Another World
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
This book is captivating and full of flavor. Cao's writing style is very wonderful. When read The Attic, you gain access to a world that is not common to 20th or 21 century Americans. Cao describes his life of living in Shanghai China with very little materials but making the very best of it. The book is an excellent example of the human spirit overcoming the challenges of life. After you get into he book you just cant put it down. I would prescribe this book to anyone that would like to see into the life of mid 20th century China. Caution, this book has customs and parts of daily life that are very different from western custom. Please read with caution if you have a sensitive nature.
An excellent tale of survival and guilt in tough times
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
This is a very well written tale of survival. It is filled with instances of humor and triumph. It depicts a Chinese culture and a cuisine that is not, as one of the previous reviewers stated, for the faint of heart. This story shows a person that is both proud to have survived and troubled by some of the things that he did to survive. I was fascinated by this story and I was grateful to have read it rather than to have lived it.
Beautifully written, captivating
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
This is a great book. Although there are some graphic descriptions of some foods, the book is well-written, absorbing. One of those good, rainy day, sitting in front of the fireplace, read-at- one-sitting books.
Shocking, Tragic, Funny - Truth is Stranger than Fiction
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
This is my all-time favorite book. I've read it three times. I suggest it to everyone. I've found myself chuckling through descriptions told with humor, but in reality must have been very difficult situations. I've heard only one negative response to the very short chapter devoted to methods of killing and eating animals. It is very shocking. It is not gratuitous violence, it's China's very ancient way. The author did not imply that these methods were widespread by any means. The rest of the book is funny and sad and thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend it.
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