A significant event in our understanding of china, compelling, detailed, and devastating
If you're curious about what it might have been like to be in China during the Cultural Revolution, this is for you. This book is written as a memoir.
"Liang Heng was born in 1954 in Changsha, a large city in Central China. His parents were intellectuals--his father a reporter on a major provincial newspaper, his mother a ranking cadre in the local police. This is Liang Heng's own story of growing up in the turmoil of the Great Cultural Revolution. His story is unique, but at the same time, it is in many ways typical of those millions of young Chinese who have been tested almost beyond endurance in recent years. In his words we hear an entire generation speaking."
-from the back cover
-from the back cover
Over All The book is very informative, and shows the struggle many people had to go through. However there are other books on this topic, that are better written. Not that this book lacks in good writing... but it comes across as one continues bleak gray line that is endlessly repetitive and somehow feels like the narrator is detached. It makes the reader eventually loose interest in the storyline and the characters. The only character that truly stud out for me was the father. I found it hard to care for the rest.
There is the "Red scarf girl" that also shows the struggle of a little girl growing up in the madness of the Revolution, but somehow comes across as equally horrific (with more detailed description of the horrors visited on the targeted families) and bright full of promise at the same time. The Red Scarf Girl is almost philosophical and much deeper read.
I give this book 3* = its heavy but fair read that is well worth reading, but I have reservation recommending this book since it fell a bit short for me.
There is the "Red scarf girl" that also shows the struggle of a little girl growing up in the madness of the Revolution, but somehow comes across as equally horrific (with more detailed description of the horrors visited on the targeted families) and bright full of promise at the same time. The Red Scarf Girl is almost philosophical and much deeper read.
I give this book 3* = its heavy but fair read that is well worth reading, but I have reservation recommending this book since it fell a bit short for me.
