Latest News:  

English>>Life & Culture

Literary fest an opening up for country's authors

By Sun Ye  (China Daily)

10:45, March 19, 2013

This year's Bookworm International Literary Festival features authors whose works focus on urban life, such as Liu Zhenyun (right). (China Daily)

Nobel laureate Mo Yan is not the only author in the country who deserves attention. The Bookworm International Literary Festival's organizer said there is much more about Chinese literature than the festival's 2009 speaker.

The two-week-long festival, which will close on Friday, was reaching out to new places, both figuratively and geographically.

It called attention to a lesser-known literary landscape: metropolitan China.

"Books about rural China and 'red' China are the most-read and best-known; even Mo Yan's works are in this category," said Vivian Wang, manager of the festival's Chinese program. "But China has so much more to offer."

To expand the picture, the festival featured a number of authors - either new or established - whose works focus on the country's urbanites.

Lu Nei, from Suzhou, Jiangsu province, wryly writes about the country's youth.

A Yi, a celebrated crime writer, shared insights with readers about his fast-paced thrillers, which are all set in towns and small cities.

Liu Zhenyun, a master of humor and satire, has written about how new technology enters into everyday life in Cell Phone, and the travails of migrant workers in I'm Liu Yuejin.

He's a literary heavyweight who sheds light on the social problems of modern, urban life.

Few of the enlisted Chinese writers are translated into English, but Wang said their engagement enables a better understanding of the Chinese literary scene.

Eighty authors from 18 countries came for the Bookworm's festival this year.

Together, they were chipping in thoughts on big questions like the importance of literature, the future of novels and the possibility of happiness.

Wang said the store's festival has always underlined and discussed crucial - and unsolvable - issues.

The festival went beyond the Bookworm's stores in Beijing, Suzhou and Chengdu. Targeting Chinese audiences, the BLF Caravan took panel discussions, readings, music and plays to Shanghai, Chongqing, Tianjin and Ningbo in Zhejiang province.

Lionel Shriver, author of the Orange Prize-winning We Need to Talk About Kevin, was in China for the first time.

"I don't know how my books are received here. I've never had a Chinese reader's letter before," said the author, who had a packed room for her Caravan event on March 10.

"That's why coming here is good for the author," she said. "Otherwise you don't hear anything about the book when it's in another language."

In her session, she discussed terrorism, writing techniques and culture shock with readers.

We recommend:

Those Xiaorenshu we read in childhood

Trip planner: four-day trip to S China

Wonderful snapshots of flying buzzards

Forever Shangri-la: China's heaven on earth

Top 10 ever-victorious generals in history

Dreamy log cabins among woods

Top 10 best airports in China 2012

Mysterious Zhongnanhai in Beijing

Top 10 Chinese 'Kung Fu Kings' in Minguo period

Email|Print|Comments(Editor:GaoYinan、Yao Chun)

Leave your comment0 comments

  1. Name

  

Selections for you


  1. Lanzhou MAC conducts combat drills

  2. Chinese naval escort conduct training

  3. Unforgettable moments in March

  4. Airline wants capable men for security

  5. Seeking a dream wedding

  6. China's weekly story (2013.3.9-3.15)

  7. Charming Li Bingbing graces Bazaar Movie

  8. Herons live around Yellow River in N China

  9. House prices rise faster in more cities

  10. Stocks fall to their lowest for 3 months

Most Popular

Opinions

  1. CCTV in hot water after corporate exposé backfires
  2. Cultural parks no substitute for talent
  3. Planning vital to diplomacy
  4. Loopholes for rich make estate tax meaningless
  5. How to start transformation and upgrading?
  6. Nation facing energy security threat: experts
  7. Plenty of hard work still to be done on rail reform
  8. 'Made in China' not equal to 'self-made in China'
  9. Efforts needed to nurture ethnic culture, language
  10. Filipina maids or local ayi?

What’s happening in China

Seeking a dream wedding at Beijing Wedding Expo

  1. 8 accused of using fake porn to extort 4.5m yuan
  2. Spending on weddings increases
  3. Trans fatty acids threat less than imagined
  4. 25 killed in SW China colliery accident
  5. Experts hired to prove local water safe