World-renowned author of novels, short stories, and essays Yan Lianke describes his literary project, reflects on censorship in China, and his perspectives on life, writing, and literary history.
Yan Lianke Book order
August 24, 1958
Yan Lianke is a Chinese author renowned for his satirical lens on contemporary China. His works, often provocative and critical of societal ills, delve into sensitive subjects, leading to some of his most celebrated pieces being banned within China. Lianke's style is marked by its raw, sometimes bizarre, approach that compels readers to confront the absurdities of life. Despite controversies, his literature has garnered global acclaim for its depth and unflinching exploration of Chinese realities.
- 2024
- 2023
Set in a religious training center in Beijing, this novel explores the unexpected romance between a Buddhist nun and a Daoist priest. Through their relationship, the story delves into themes of spirituality, love, and the complexities of belief, all while showcasing the author's sharp satirical style. The narrative promises to blend humor and poignant moments, highlighting the characters' struggles with their faith and societal expectations.
- 2022
Après avoir attendu pendant dix ans, j'ai senti un jour que je pouvais écrire Elles. J'ai écrit leurs larmes, leurs rires, leurs silences et leurs fureurs. J'ai écrit leurs souffrances tues et leurs prises de conscience. Pour l'écrire, j'ai employé toutes mes forces, ma sincérité, mon amour et ma compréhension des êtres, tout le respect et l'estime que je porte à ces femmes nées êtres humains. C'est à sa mère, à ses sœurs, à ses tantes et aux femmes de son village que Yan Lianke pense en écrivant. Des femmes résistantes qui conjurent la misère en chantant, dont les magnifiques portraits se tissent de souvenirs d'enfance et d'analyses sur l'amour, le mariage et la condition des femmes dans la Chine rurale. Car ces femmes qui l'ont aimé et ont façonné son existence d'homme et d'écrivain, Yan Lianke est convaincu qu'elles ont été injustement oubliées, effacées de la mémoire des hommes. Ce livre profondément émouvant est né de sa volonté de leur rendre hommage et de leur donner une visibilité qu'elles n'ont jamais eue.
- 2022
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.
- 2021
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.
- 2020
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
- 2018
- 2018
The Day the Sun Died
- 352 pages
- 13 hours of reading
Poignant and unsettling Max Davidson Mail on Sunday
- 2017
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.
- 2016
Los cuatro libros
- 368 pages
- 13 hours of reading
La acción de "Los cuatro libros" nos situa en la China de los años 50 del pasado siglo. Su trasfondo es el confinamiento de cientos de miles de personas en "campos de reeducación por el trabajo" y la movilización de los campesinos para la producción de hierro y acero. Aque despropósito fue el preámbulo de una de las mayores hambrunas de la humanidad. Yan Lianke recorre ese período con uja creatividad desbordante y una prosa poética e incisiva, alternando con una maestría insuperable los lenguajes de la narrativa bíblica, la tradición confuciana y la mitología griega, así como la jerga política maoista. Un niño y un escritor sobresalen entre los diversos personajes anónimos: el erudito, la música, el profesor de religión o el técnico del laboratorio. Los avatares y las vidas absurdamente truncadas de aquellos hombres y mujeres conforman este drama satírico, inspirado en hechos reales de la historia. El autor da rienda suelta a su capacidad imaginativa sin la habitual autocensura practicada por los escritores chinos. Por ello, y ante su osadía, ninguana editorial del contienente chino se atrevió a imprimir su obra. Finalmente se publicó en Hong Kong y Taiwán
