"socialism Is Great!": A Worker's Memoir of the New China - Softcover

Lijia Zhang

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0307472191 ISBN 13: 9780307472199

Publisher: Anchor Books, 2009

Synopsis

With a great charm and spirit, "Socialism Is Great!" recounts Lijia Zhang's rebellious journey from disillusioned factory worker to organizer in support of the Tiananmen Square demonstrators, to eventually become the writer and journalist she always determined to be. Her memoir is like a brilliant miniature illuminating the sweeping historical forces at work in China after the Cultural Revolution as the country moved from one of stark repression to a vibrant, capitalist economy.

About this title

Review:

With a New Afterword

"A sharply observant and admirably crafted memoir. . . . A truly original contribution to our understanding of modern China."
--Jonathan D. Spence

"A literary gem. . . . Zhang deftly crafts the journey of a whole generation, desperately yearning to break away from the ropes of tradition and living to dream the impossible. It's a book to relish, a volume to cherish and mostly, a life to celebrate."
--Da Chen, author of Colors of the Mountain

"A beautiful memoir. . . . Our current China literature is heavy with victim memoirs, but this is a true tale of aspiration: a young woman coming of age in a nation desperately trying to do the same."
--Peter Hessler, Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker and author of River Town

"Beautiful.... A remarkable memoir.... A notable historical document and a vivid, affecting portrait of a young woman's resolve."
--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author:

Lijia Zhang was born and raised in Nanjing. Her articles have appeared in many international publications, including South China Morning Post, Japan Times, the Independent (London), Washington Times, and Newsweek. She is a regular speaker on BBC Radio and NPR. She now lives in Beijing with her two daughters.

www.lijiazhang.com

About this edition

• Publisher: Anchor Books
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0307472191
• ISBN 13: 9780307472199
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 363