The Four Books

Awards:   Short-listed for Man Booker International Prize 2016
Author:   Yan Lianke
Publisher:   Vintage Publishing
ISBN:  

9780701186975


Pages:   352
Publication Date:   01 January 1999
Format:   Hardback
Availability:   Not yet available   Availability explained
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The Four Books


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Awards

  • Short-listed for Man Booker International Prize 2016

Overview

'One of China's greatest living authors and fiercest satirists' Guardian In the ninety-ninth district of a sprawling labour camp, the Author, Musician, Scholar, Theologian and Technician are undergoing Re-education, to restore their revolutionary zeal and credentials. In charge of this process is the Child, who delights in draconian rules, monitoring behaviour and confiscating treasured books. The inmates - and hundreds of intellectuals just like them -- must meet challenges set by the higher-ups: to grow an ever-spiralling amount of wheat per li of land, and to smelt vast quantities of steel. The stakes are high: they can win their freedom if they are awarded enough of the small red blossoms, medium red blossoms and pentagonal stars given out for effort, obedience and informing on others. But when bad weather arrives, followed by the 'three bitter years' of the Great Famine, the intellectuals are abandoned by the regime and left on their own to survive. Divided into four narratives, echoing the four texts of Confucianism and the four Gospels of the New Testament, The Four Books tells the story of one of China's most controversial periods. It also shows us the power of camaraderie, love and faith against oppression and the darkest possible odds. WINNER OF THE FRANZ KAFKA BOOK PRIZE 2014 NOMINATED FOR CZECH AWARD MAGNESIA LITERA 2014 FINALIST FOR THE MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE 2013 SHORTLISTED FOR THE INDEPENDENT FOREIGN FICTION PRIZE 2012 SHORTLISTED FOR THE PRIX FEMINA ETRANGER 2012 SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN ASIAN LITERARY PRIZE 2011 WINNER OF THE LAO SHE LITERATURE AWARD 2004 WINNER OF THE LU XUN AWARD 1997

Full Product Details

Author:   Yan Lianke
Publisher:   Vintage Publishing
Imprint:   Chatto & Windus
ISBN:  

9780701186975


ISBN 10:   0701186976
Pages:   352
Publication Date:   01 January 1999
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Not yet available   Availability explained
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

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Author Information

Yan Lianke was born in 1958 in Henan Province, China. He is the author of numerous novels and short-story collections, including Serve the People!, Dream of Ding Village and Lenin's Kisses. He is the winner of an array of literary awards, including China's Lao She, Lu Xun and Hua Zhong World Chinese Literature Prize. In 2014 was awarded the prestigious Franz Kafka Book Prize, whose previous winners include Vaclav Havel, John Banville, Harold Pinter, Haruki Murakami and Philip Roth. He has also been shorlisted for the Man Booker International Prize and the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize. He currently lives and writes in Beijing.

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