From Bruce Humes (h/t Paper Republic), the Cankao Xiaoxi (参考消息) version of Isaac Fish Stone’s review of Yu Hua’s Brothers (兄弟). Stone’s review originally appeared in Newsweek, the cross-outs indicate what the editors felt was…not sufficiently harmonious for a humble book review.
Sample section:
Some Chinese reviewers have criticized Brothers as too absurd. Baldy Li, for instance, has a toilet seat plated with gold. “When I wrote about his golden toilet, I got a call from a friend saying, ‘Hey, Yu, were you writing about my toilet?’ I know so many people who have golden toilets, says Yu. In another scene, Song Gang undergoes breast-enhancement surgery to hawk fake–and toxic–chest-enlargement cream. Yu responds to critics who call that too extreme by likening it to the recent melamine scandal, in which tainted milk sickened thousands of Chinese babies. “After melamine, people have begun to understand that these things happen all the time,” says Yu, his voice rising slightly. “And now they are starting to pay attention.” His work doesn’t give them any choice.
We’ve already had YouTube yanked because…well, they’re saying it’s the result of posted videos showing Chinese police clubbing Tibetan protesters, but I think it’s because the paternalistic and benevolent leadership of the CCP knew just how much “research time” I waste watching old Larry Bird highlights and classic Zeppelin concerts. Thank you, CCP!
A harmonious book review…: From Bruce Humes (h/t Paper Republic), the Cankao Xiaoxi (参考消息) version of Isa.. http://tinyurl.com/dclw8x
Everytime I think about revising my hatred for the communist party, something like this comes along and reminds me what a pack of lying crooks they are.
Must feel nice to know that the CCP is lookin out for you =)
Ah yes, sweet, sweet harmony! If you want to understand contemporary China, forget Marx and Mao. Read Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Han Feizi and Shang Yang instead.