This wonderful collection of stories introduces the English reader to the beautiful prose of Zhong Lihe, often regarded as the founding father of Taiwan's 'native soil literature.' Zhong's is a major voice in Taiwanese literature. His work brings out all the complexities of Taiwanese history and society: the transition from Japanese to Chinese rule, the fraught relationship with the Mainland, and the rich variety of ethnicities and languages on the island itself. In these stories, Zhong ranges from nostalgic rural idylls to harsh realist observations, mostly set in his hometown of Meinong and also drawn from his to? sojourns in occupied Peking and the puppet-state Manchuria. The English translation by T. M. McClellan masterfully captures the mood of the stories. From the Old Country is a very welcome addition to the growing body of English translations of Sinophone literature.
Michel Hockx, University of London Zhong Lihe is gifted with the authentic talent of the self-taught writer, exceptional in his ability to reach beyond class and national stereotypes, and unwisely neglected outside his native Taiwan. His translator, T. M. McClellan, is wonderfully fluent in his distinctive and wryly imaginative English; he also brings to his translation and introduction an acute literary sensibility, a highly-developed understanding of the author's life and times, and a profound knowledge of the Chinese language. This combination makes reading their book an exhilarating experience.
Bonnie McDougall, author of Fictional Authors, Imaginary Audiences: Modern Chinese Literature in the Twentieth Century These fine stories can be appreciated on at least two levels: as well-crafted and well-translated literature and as historical documents chronicling life in Taiwan under Japanese rule. The author, a Hakka-born Taiwanese, occupies a unique and favored position in Taiwan's literary history.
Howard Goldblatt, coeditor of The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Literature This is a valuable book; it's well-translated into good idiomatic English by T. M. McLennan and presents a moving, living picture through its vignettes of Taiwanese life in particular, perhaps without too much nostalgia for the old ways but without entirely welcoming the new ways either. Asian Review of Books This thoughtful, scholarly apparatus accompanies a judicious selection of beautifully rendered stories and sketches... This is a fine book. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in modern Chinese literature from Taiwan. Modern Chinese Literature and Culture Elegantly translated and expertly edited... a rare literary occasion... Zhong's subtle, reflective, and lyrical style of writing reminds us of a combined quality and charm of Lu Xun and Shen Congwen. CLEAR (Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews) The publication of this volume of Zhong Lihe's (1915-1960) representative works, elegantly translated and expertly edited by T. M. McClellan, is a rare literary occasion that certainly deserves applause.
Lingchei Letty Chen Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews