My Favorites

围城 (Fortress Besieged)
by Chung-Shu Chien

-- One of the best Chinese novel I've read. If you can read Chinese, read the Chinese edition. If you can't, read the foreign translation.

风声鹤唳 (A Leaf in the Storm) 
by Yutang Lin

-- A story happened in the war-swept China. I like almost all the novels written by Lin, this one is my favorite. 

红牡丹(Red Peony)
by Yutang Lin

-- Red peony is the name of a beautiful woman in old China. All the stories were happened on her.  

The Agony and the Ecstasy : A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo
by Irving Stone

-- I experienced agony and ecstasy when I read the book. Read this book, you'll get the first sight for Michelangelo.

Michelangelo  (English translation)
by Romain Rolland

-- After reading the book by Irving Stone, this book came to me, made me really touched by the soul and strength of Michelangelo. Made me dig into his world, world between sensitive emotions and rigid marbles, world between dignity and pain , world between poem and love. Sometime I doubt whether he's a human being. Deep sight for Michelangelo. 

红楼梦 (Dream of the Red Chamber)
by Tsao Hsueh Chin

-- If you can not understand the name of the book, give up. If you want to have a whole picture of the ancient China, this book is enough.

活着(To Live)
by Yu, Hua

-- A modern Chinese writer wrote something for the near past. If you live in China for a long time, try it. If not, you're not able to understand this book. There's something deep inside the Chinese nation and Chinese characteristics. See also "许三观卖血记"

撒哈拉的故事( Stories of Sahara )
by San, Mao

-- I've read all the books by San Mao and I have a whole collection of these book. I love her so much. A woman who has the courage to live in Sahara for years, I really admire her. She's brave, sensitive and talented in writing.  Following the links under her name, see other books written by her, "梦里花落知多少","稻草人手记","哭泣的骆驼","万水千山走遍","倾城"....

倾城之恋(Love story)
by Zhang, Ailing

-- The 20's Shanghai in Zhang, Ailing's novel is the best description for the old Shanghai. Reading her novels sometimes made me feel that I was really living in past , in the old Shanghai in her novel. Other works,"红玫瑰与白玫瑰","金锁记","沉香屑　第一炉香"....

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