Su Tong

Advantages: Fascinating insight into China before Communism
Disadvantages: Slightly odd translation, very Chinese concepts not understandable to all

...Su Tong is one of my favourite Chinese authors. Best known for writing the original short story behind the Zhang Yimou film Raise the Red Lantern, he writes short stories and novellas. This book is a collection of three novellas, one of which, as the title suggests, is Raise the Red Lantern. Having previously read his work in Chinese, I am delighted that an attempt has been made to bring Su Tong's work to the attention of an English-speaking audience. However, his work is not particularly easy to read and a certain level of attention is needed in order to follow the story. The novellas The first and most famous is Raise the Red Lantern. This is the story of a rich man's fourth concubine and her relationship with the first three. Lotus is from a fairly wealthy and educated family that unfortunately suffers after the death of her... Read review

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Advantages: Lots of cultural information broken down into small sections
Disadvantages: n/a

...What would you do if you had a book that told you everything - from how to look after your health, how to raise your family and how to cast your own horoscope, right through to how to make a decent meal or brew your own alcohol? Actually, there is one such book - the Chinese Almanac, which has been in continuous publication since 2250 BC, and is updated every year. Known as the Tong Sing, which translates into 'Know Everything' you'll find a copy of this in every home in China. Of course, not living in china, and probably not being able to read Chinese - that's of very little use to you, until now. Dr Charles Windridge, whose wife is Chinese and runs a restaurant, found that many people would ask her questions about Chinese culture, but that, due to her limited grasp of English, he would find himself having to answer the questions... Read review

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Advantages:
Disadvantages: A total misrepresentation, unsubstantiated and packaged as fact

...by Florida author and VOCAL activist Dean Tong. Dean Tong is a very angry man, some would say with cause, he was himself jailed as a result of accusations made in his own divorce, which were later overturned after a long fight (detailed in his book "Ashes to Ashes"). It is actually somewhere between "very hard" and impossible to establish where Dean Tong is coming from. The only conclusion I could reach after an exhaustive study of his published speeches and an even more exhaustive one to one dialogue is this: Dean feels (and as far as I can ascertain later established) that his former wife has BPD, she accused him of things he later established as unfounded in part by establishing that she has BPD (whether in the courts, or in his own mind is uncertain, but the case WAS overturned and she WAS eventually adjudged an unfit mother). He seems... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful