Year of the Monkey

Happy Year of the Monkey!
Looking forward to this year, as, according to the Chinese calendar, my zodiac is the monkey.  In honor of this Chinese holiday, I will write about some books I have read for my studies through the OU Confucius Institute.

First up, China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power by Rob Gifford.

I did enjoy reading this book.  He offered so many perspectives about the people of China.  It's a long book - I would read for such a long time, but it wouldn't appear that I had put much of a dent in it.  I don't recommend jumping in if you're trying to read a ton of YA titles on the side.

The author is a former British journalist, who did a study abroad in China.  He decides to travel China on their main highway, sort of like the Route 66 for us.  The book gives detailed accounts of his journeys and the many people he meets along the way.  It's touching and you get a true sense that while we are different, we're still the same even across the world.  The ancient China is having to change quickly in its quest to be a super power.  This book made me discover things I hadn't even thought about.  

Second book, Winter Sun, is a collection of poems written by Shi Zhi and translated by Jonathan Stalling.  He's an OU professor in the College of Arts and Science.  He's also an editor of Chinese Literature Today.

Very interesting background for this book.  The poet was right in the middle of China's Cultural Revolution.  His poems convey the turmoil the young people of China endured during this difficult part of history.  Prof. Stalling explains how he thought he understood the translation, but then had the opportunity to travel to China and actually meet Shi Zhi.  It was through this experience, he felt he could do the poetry justice.

One side is written in Chinese, and the other is in English.  I'm not a huge poetry fan.  I like it, but I don't love it.  I have to admit that some of these poems truly touched my heart.