apologies forthcoming

.... by xujun eberlein (livingston press, june, 2008) is a collection of short stories about life in china both immediately before and after the cultural revolution. ms eberlein, who emigrated to the united states from china in 1988, and now holds a phd from MIT, tells these stories from her unique - at least to most westerners - perspective as someone who not only witnessed, but grew up, during that tumultous time period.

my interest in all things chinese was initially sparked by Beloved, who has been studying mandarin for the last four or five years. i tried it and it made my brain swell at a time when my brain was already under assault writing the silver trilogy. it is becoming increasingly clear to all, i hope, that china has emerged as an important player on the global stage, and it seems to me that anything that can be done to facilitate understanding between our two very different cultures should be encouraged.

and so, i highly recommend this book. ms eberlein is a gifted storyteller, with a unique viewpoint, not to mention an impressive command of the english language. her characters are drawn with great tenderness and sensitivity, as they struggle to create lives and loves and relationships against the enormous backdrop of the cultural revolution. i found the stories addictive... it was hard to stop at just one.

and furthermore, the war must end. blessed be.