What are you reading?

[wushijiao]

I’m in the middle of reading a few books, mainly about Yunnan/Tibet, and the concept of “Shangri-la” (partly because I was just in Yunnan and plan to move there, and I think I’ll travel through Tibet this summer).

I was surprised to find Searching for Shangri-la: An Alternative Philosophy Travelogue by Laurence J. Brahm. I’ve always liked Brahm’s analysis of China’s political and economic situations, so I was shocked to see that he had a somewhat spiritual-type travel book. Anyway, the book’s personal and interesting, and it hit home with me because I’m getting a bit sick of how materialistic life seems to be here (or perhaps it’s the same everywhere throughout the world).

Similarly, I’m reading 梦回香格里拉, by 赵鑫珊, which is also about traveling in Yunnan.

I’m slowly going through 东亚三国的近现代史, which is concise and informative, but it does have the dry feel of a book written by committee. What it has in praise-worthy objectivity, it lacks in background to the reasons why certain events happened.

Lastly, I just started Secret Tibet by Fosco Maraini. This book looks to be an excellent resource to pre-“liberated” Tibet, and it is also brilliantly written.

Also, I recently read William Taubman’s Khrushchev, which I would highly recommend if you are interesting in the Cold War or Soviet history.

[Lu]

A book by Lulu Wang, a Dutch-Chinese writer, I forgot the title. As a novel it's not that great (gets a bit weird and hysterical at points), but it's about a Dutch who studies Chinese in Leiden and then goes to China, so it's like reading about myself (except that this Dutch is a man, who then hooks up with a Chinese girl). Even the Arsenaal, home to the Chinese department, makes an appearance.

[Lu]

Just read 'Patriotism' ('Yukoku'), by Yukio Mishima. Terrible, terrible. An absolute must-read, but not for anyone under 18.

[elina]

I have just finished reading this book:

亮剑

http://www.dangdang.com/product_detail/review.asp?id=8979330

非常好看！荡气回肠！

[莱米西]

风声鹤唳 (A Leaf in the Storm)

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

[semantic nuance]

Hi,

Days ago a friend recommended me this book written in 2000. This book is very amusing. While I was reading it, I could not help but burst out laughing all the time. It not only makes you laugh but also makes you think. Personally, I think its style is a bit like Dave Barry's. If you want to have a good hearty laugh, you may try this one. The following link is its introduction in Chinese. 裘琳的日記

Hope you enjoy it!!

[skylee]

I am reading Part 1 of this "Graphic Novel" called "Persepolis" (我在伊朗長大). There are totally 4 parts. I think it is very good. Information on the book can be found here.

[semantic nuance]

Yes, these 4 are awesome. I finished them months ago. Very interesting books to read!!

[geek_frappa]

How NOT to Write a Screenplay by Denny M Flinn

btw, have you seen this website?

http://www.douban.net/

it shows you who is reading the same book. what a cool idea!!

[Weronika]

Lin Yutang: Moment is Peking

I love it

[Lu]

熊猫 by Mian Mian. That is, I started reading it, and read through the first 60 or so pages really fast, it was interesting, a nice read. But after that it got boring (or maybe it's just me). Not sure if I'll finish it, I'm reading another Chinese book as well and I'm not advanced enough to read two Chinese books at the same time.

[mr. fanglang]

女王舆我 by 林太乙. very humorous and very easy to read.

[Lu]

1421. Interesting, but I'm still skeptic.

[skylee]

I am reading Louis Cha's 碧血劍.

[mr. fanglang]

請用文明說服我, 龍應台最新的書. 很好看.

[Lu]

Rereading (for the 3rd time or so) Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee series. I forgot most of the plots, so still enough surprises there, and this time I also discovered Van Gulik has a great style of writing.

[Toffeeliz]

I think the only thing I've been reading (attempting) is the newsinchinese.com stuff. It's hard, and i give up a lot of the time...but I think it iss helping a bit ^_^. My big goal in chinese is to be able to read and write fluent chinese - and to be able to read novels (xiao3 shuo1) in chinese ^_^

[Xiao Kui]

i found that the vocab that you learn for newspapers and novels is really different, almost like 2 different languages. I find it easier to read novels than newspapers, but I am also learning a lot from newsinchinese. As for novels I was reading Bai Jin's Jia recently defining every single word I didn't know so I was only on chap 17 or 18 of 35 chapters so I got bored, I think I'm going to just read through it without adding words to Supermemo- I really enjoy all the characters, hope the story doesn't turn out predictable, since it's such a masterpiece. I loved Rickshaw Boy by Lao She until it turned out so depressing. I was an English lit major though, so I guess I expect all great literature to depress me. I was pleasantly surprised by Border Town, though.

Right now I am also listening to the Audio Book of Lu Yao's Ordinary World. i love the characters and I feel like I'm back in 1970's rural China. It's such a long book, though, I hope I can survive to the end - I've only finished volume 1.

[bhchao]

Currently reading Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, the fictional book about real life labor conditions in the meatpacking industry that prompted Teddy Roosevelt to introduce legislation to reform the food industry

[boomerang]

Reading my first real book in Chinese - 梁山伯与祝英台, it's a cool little story