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Summary: Books, Who Knows Where They Will Take You?
Review: During the Cultural Revolution in China any boy or girl who had finished high school was labeled an intellectual and was sent to the countryside to be re-educated and this fate falls on young Luo.He brings an alarm clock shaped like a rooster with him and since the villagers had never seen one before, they turn it into an idol. Luo takes advantage of that by changing the time now and then to gain an extra hour's sleep from a headmaster who depends upon the clock to tell him when to send him out to work. The work he does for the "good of the revolution" is grinding, filthy labor for which he's not paid. It's no wonder he tries to escape from it now and then. No one being re-educated is permitted to read anything except Mao's book of sayings, but Luo gets a hold of a book written by Balzac and the world of ideas opens. He wants other books. Then he meets the beautiful young seamstress and shares Balzac with her and now she too, wants books. Luo falls in love and wants to get them for her, not only to please her but also to raise her up from her lack of education to become something other than just a peasant girl. In his desire to "re-educate" the girl he loves, resides lies their ultimate future. This is a wonderful five star story that will take you to a place you've never been and will perhaps teach you a little about relationship and love. In my opinion you should get this little book, it'll capture your heart. Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne
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Summary: Making sense of the ending withut giving anything away
Review: You know that the two main characters are teenage boys sent to rural China during the Cultural Revolution for reeducation. Reading exotic western literature like Balzac becomes their fortuitous and forbidden passion. As the surprising (but not surprise) ending reveals itself, at first I worried about all the metaphors I had missed (Do I need to read all the Balzac they refer to? What about the relevant Chinese figures and history?) But when you finish, it may be enough to remember -- the book is about reeducation
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Summary: A Gem of a Book
Review: I bought this little volume in the airport of 9/11/2003 -- it seemed about the right size to read for my three hour flight. Discovering such a gem amidst the trash that is so prevalent these days was a joy. I felt like I had hit the jackpot. I can't wait to suggest it to my book club. I'm sure they will all enjoy talking about the boys and their devious ways of dealing with a miserable situation with humor. The ending was a shock. I had to re-read it to make sure I hadn't missed a page! I guess the joke is on Luo! He did too good a job educating the little seamstress! Ina Rilke did a marvelous job translating. I never felt I was reading a translation, not always the case. Am pleased to see so many others liked it also.
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Summary: MY REVIEW
Review: Well, I thought this book was wonderful. I enjoyed reading it, becuase it was real. The whole book was based on a true story and I found that intersting. It teahes a lot about life and how things always don't go you're way and how things can change in the life that we call "ours"
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Summary: A Delightful Gem
Review: This book transports you into the Cultural Revolution in China in the 1970s through an eyewitness fictional account. The emotional and physical demands on the main characters are made palpable through Dai's prose. Their transcendence of their dilemma through literature is therefore entirely believable. The ending was sublime.
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Summary: Not quite as great as billed, but well worth reading
Review: I first head of this book when it was initially translated into English. Actually, what I heard was
an extended discussion of the cover, by which a number of people were apparently fascinated. Moreover, everyone who read seemed to rave about it. My curiously led me to pick up a copy
soon after it came out. While I enjoyed this book, I did not find it to be quite the experience others did. It is a very good book, but, perhaps because it is more of a novella than a novel, I found myself wanting more information. On the other hand, that may speak well for the book, shouldn't a good author always leave you begging for more? The book tells the tale of two young friends who are exiled to a remote mountain village for re-education during China's Cultural Revolution. There they come in contact with the daughter of the local tailor and discover a hidden cache of Western novels (yes, including works by Balzac) which have been translated into Chinese. Both become enamored with the seamstress as they secretly read the banned works, and find some respite from their status as laborers in both reading and in performing oral movies for villagers. Throughout the tale, we are drawn into the lives of the two friends, although I never really connected with the characters or felt empathy with either of them. I was sympathetic to their situation, but I never really identified with them as I generally do with characters in a novel. But trust me, this is only a minor criticism and, based on other reviews, I am very much in the minority in feeling as I did. Moreover, I guess I was somewhat disappointed that the book did not move me as deeply as I thought it would after hearing about it. Maybe its just a classic case of too much build-up and anticipation prior to reading it; there was no way it could live up to its billing. Whether this book will reach the classic status that so many seem to believe it will, only time will tell. It has fable-like qualities, but somehow I don't see it eventually finding status as a fable. It is an excellent read and do highly recommend it.
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Summary: A great story
Review: Dai Sijie's "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress" is a well crafted and well told story. Once you pick the book up you will not want to put it down. The translation is very good. The language is lyrical and the story compelling. Well worth reading...
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Summary: A Joy For Literature Lovers!!!!
Review: Sijie has written a jewel of world literature
- Spectator ~~~ * ~~~ ~~~ * ~~~ As China enters the new millenium as the great hope of many, the only real contender for the next 'Rome', Dai Sijie's BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS not only is relevant today but a required reading for everyone. 'Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress' not only is aimed for people who loves literature, but also for anyone who is passionate about personal liberty, religious freedom, free speech, and a democratic flow of ideas- whether that idea is coming from the Left, Right, the moderates, or the extremists. Two sons of prominent 'class enemies' were sent to the mysterious, secluded 'phoenix mountain' for 're-education'. Demeaning tasks were delegated to them, including carrying buckets of excrement up and down the mountain paths. "The boy's true re-education starts, however, when they discover a hidden suitcase packed with the great Western novels of the nineteenth century. Their lives are transformed." (from the publisher) This is a great, inspiring novel. Many of you can read this delightful work in one sitting (or, like me, slowly- to reflect on the issues and meanings hidden between the lines of the book). It has the same effect on me as Orwell's Animal Farm (The title might as well be 'Orwell and the Little Chinese Seamstress'), but more sophisticated.
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Summary: a simple, beautifully written tale
Review: an online review can not possibly do justice to this beautifully written book. the story is simple and honest and literally transports the reader to a mountainside in china. reading this book has completely changed my view of literature and the power it has to inspire and fuel the mind. this book should be manditory reading (what would chairman mao say to that?!).
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Summary: Fascinating
Review: During the terrors of the Cultural Revolution, two boys from well-to-do families are sent to a backwater villiage to be educated in the ways of the peasant. However these peasants are just reformed opium growers, and it is doubtful whether the boys will be able to learn anything other than other than pain and injustice. Fortunately, one of the boys has a remarkable talent in storytelling. This captivates the villiaers who have never seen any kind of modern entertainment. This gives the boys an opportunity to go to the city to see movies which they must relate to the villiagers on their return. On their trips they encounter the lovely tailor's daughter. Also they come across a suitcase full of western books. These books are banned, but the boys thirst for them, and in reading them, they become aware of a completely different world. In exploring this different world, they learn some hard lessons in life and love. I have to disagree with the reviewer who disliked the ending. Perhaps the reviewer wanted to get an ending that vindicated the power of romantic love as set forth in western literature. However the reviewer must keep in mind that this is not a western book. And however much you hoped, the ending that you hoped for is not very realistic. What these boys went through is something that every boy goes through in their life. This is just an extreme case of growing up.
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