To Live

An award-winning, internationally acclaimed Chinese bestseller, originally banned in China but recently named one of the last decade s ten most influential books there, " "To Live tells the epic story of one man s transformation from the spoiled son of a rich landlord to an honorable and kindhearted peasant. After squandering his family s fortune in gambling dens and brothels, the young, deeply penitent Fugui settles down to do the honest work of a farmer. Forced by the...
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An award-winning, internationally acclaimed Chinese bestseller, originally banned in China but recently named one of the last decade s ten most influential books there, " "To Live tells the epic story of one man s transformation from the spoiled son of a rich landlord to an honorable and kindhearted peasant.
After squandering his family s fortune in gambling dens and brothels, the young, deeply penitent Fugui settles down to do the honest work of a farmer. Forced by the Nationalist Army to leave behind his family, he witnesses the horrors and privations of the Civil War, only to return years later to face a string of hardships brought on by the ravages of the Cultural Revolution. Left with an ox as the companion of his final years, Fugui stands as a model of flinty authenticity, buoyed by his appreciation for life in this narrative of humbling power.

"From the Trade Paperback edition.""