Wolf Totem
Glancing back over my blog posts in recent weeks, I realize I may sound like an idiot- all the books I've recommended are fluff in one form or another. Good sometimes, but the intellect also needs a book to sink its teeth into (yes, some minds have teeth, sharp ones). So I've got something out there for the eggheads among us: Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong, winner of the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2007, awarded to books by Asian authors not yet translated into English. This book about a young Chinese intellectual being sent to Outer Mongolia for "reeducation" during China's Cultural Revolution is as much about environmentalism and spirituality as it is about political change in Asia. The main character, who is autobiographical, finds himself deeply moved by the Mongolian way of life and mindset as he learns about the wolf as a formidable predator and symbol of the Mongolian spirit. Wolf Totem is highly critical of Communist China's short sightedness but managed to slip under the radar of censors in that country. I've rarely read a work of fiction that taught me so much. Jiang Rong's work has met with mixed critical review; some call it "polemic" and "frustrating," others call it "deserving" of its prize and "captivating." This reviewer thinks it's the best thing to hit shelves in a long time. Already out in hardback, the paperback is due out any minute now.
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