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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated A Thousand Years of Good Prayers in Books

Sep 21, 2017

Impressive collection of short stories about pre- and post-revolution China

This collection of short stories by Yiyun Li is both charming and a little disconcerting, showing how Chinese citizens attempt to live in a changed consumer communist society. From a gay man attempting to eke out a space for himself after returning from America to China, to those with mental health issues and parents with more than one child, Li showcases a plethora of characters and voices, many reflective of her own experiences.

The first story about an elderly woman trying to work and survive, and feeling love for a young boy after many years of loneliness is poignant and sombre. While the final story is similar to Li's experience of living in America - she is in reality a dissident and at one point couldn't leave the country to collect an award for this book, hence the book is remarkable in the fact that it feels completely plausible. Even more laudable is the fact that she had only learnt English for six years when she wrote the book. It is a wonderful collection of stories.

Kudos

Debbiereadsbook (1851 KP) rated The Arts of Love: Stories of Sensual Creativity in Books

Dec 10, 2018

a fabulous little collection!

Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

16 short stories, written by the same author, based around love and the Arts. Music, acting, writing and everything inbetween.

A 16 book collection was never going to get 16 individual reviews, so here's what I thought about them all, as a whole.

I rather enjoyed it!

It's a great collection of shorts, average about 15 pages each, some a little shorter or longer, but that gives you just enough for each story, I thought, to give you a brief connection, a glimpse into these people's lives.

Some stories are a bit more explicit, some almost clean, in my opinion. Mostly written from one person's view, in the third person.

Each short is well written, and well delivered. I saw no spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading experience.

This is the first I've read of this author, and I'd like to read more. Something much longer than these shorts, just to see what they can do with more pages!

A thoroughly enjoyable Sunday afternoon spent reading, thank you.

4 solid stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**