Lianke Yan Libri

China's most controversial novelist on one of the biggest scandals in recent Chinese history - his defining work.

Eminent Chinese novelist Yan Lianke offers insights into his views on literature and realism, the major works that inspired him, and his theories of writing.

Set against a backdrop of absurdity, the narrative unfolds in Liven, a secluded village in the Balou mountains, where a sudden snowstorm devastates crops during summer. A county official seizes the opportunity to exploit the villagers, most of whom are disabled, by forming a traveling performance troupe. Their unique acts aim to fund the purchase of Lenin's embalmed body to lure tourists, creating a bizarre fusion of capitalism and communism. However, the troupe's unexpected success brings unforeseen consequences for the villagers.

A powerful fable about the goodness in mankind by 'one of China's greatest living authors' (Guardian), newly available in English for the first time.

The book features two compelling novellas that delve into the stigma surrounding mental illness and the profound sacrifices individuals make for their families. It also examines the deep-rooted desire to create a lasting personal legacy. Through rich storytelling, the author, recognized as one of China's most successful writers, captures the complexities of human emotions and relationships, offering a poignant reflection on societal perceptions and personal struggles.

A breakneck adventure story following the erotic love affair of party cadres Aijun and Hongmei during China's Cultural RevolutionOn his return to his village in the Balou Mountains, soldier Gao Aijun sees a young woman wandering barefoot along the railway tracks in the warm late-afternoon sun.

Chronicling the extraordinary lives of his father and two uncles, as well as his own, this book is a celebration of the power of one family to hold together in the most punishing of circumstances. Sharply alive to the cyclical nature of history, and the power of familial guilt, it also shows how the pen can be a route to freedom

SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE 2016 '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 - and hundreds just like them - 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. But when bad weather arrives, followed by the 'three bitter years', the intellectuals are abandoned by the regime and left on their own to survive. Divided into four narratives, The Four Books tells the story of the Great Famine, one of China's most devastating and controversial periods. WINNER OF THE FRANZ KAFKA PRIZE 2014 NOMINATED FOR CZECH AWARD MAGNESIA LITERA 2014 HUA ZHONG WORLD CHINESE LITERATURE PRIZE 2013 FINALIST FOR THE MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE 2013 WINNER OF THE HUA ZHONG WORLD CHINESE LITERATURE 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

With the Yi River on one side and the Balou Mountains on the other, the village of Explosion was founded a thousand years ago by refugees fleeing a volcanic eruption. But in the post-Mao era, the name takes on a new significance as the rural community grows explosively from a small village to a town to a city to a vast megalopolis. Behind this rapid expansion are three rival families. Linked together by a web of ambition, madness and greed, the four Kong brothers; Zhu Ying, the daughter of the former village chief; and Cheng Qing, who starts out as a secretary and goes on to become a powerful political and business figure, transform their hometown into a Babylon of modern times -- an unrivalled urban superpower built on lies, sex and thievery. Brimming with absurdity, intelligence and wit, The Explosion Chronicles considers the high stakes of passion and power, the consequences of corruption and greed, the dynamics of love and hate, as well as the seemingly boundless excesses of capitalist culture. 'One of the masters of modern Chinese literature' Jung Chang 'One of Chinaâe(tm)s most successful writers . . . [Yan Lianke] writes in the spirit of the dissident writer Vladimir Voinovich, who observed that "reality and satire are the same"' Evan Osnos, New Yorker

A brilliantly comic satire about a love affair from the visionary, world-class storyteller. Set in 1967, at the peak of the Mao cult, this is the tale of a forbidden love affair between Liu Lian - the bored wife of a military commander - and a young soldier, Wu Dawang. When Liu Lian establishes a rule that Wu Dawang must attend to her needs whenever the household's wooden 'Serve the People!' sign is removed from its usual place, he vows to obey. What follows is both an enthralling love story and a deliciously comic satire on the political and sexual taboos of Mao's regime. 'Drips with the kind of satire that can only come from deep within the machinery of Chinese communism' Financial Times