Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: The Dreamer Wakes (The Story of the Stone, or The Dream of the Red Chamber, Volume 5) by Cao Xuequin, Cao Xueqin, E. Gao, Gao E ISBN: 0-14-044372-X Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 01 December, 1986 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (4 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: One of the greatest novels ever written
Comment: I read the other reviews on this page, and I thought I should add something: this novel is unbelievably beautifully written, and the english translation is absolutely superb.
You cannot find any better example of novel-writing skill in any language.
Rating: 5
Summary: Mystical-Reality
Comment: I've read all parts of The Story of the Stone. It starts and ends in a mystical fashion; coming full circle in a traditional ying/yang way. Wonderful five volume story about two wealthy families closely connected to the throne. Although there's not much known about the true author, I suspect that it was written by a maid. There is incredible detail from the perspective of the servents working for their sometimes nutty employers. The family actually built a garden at one point in honor of a visit from a daughter who had been chosen to be a royal concubine. If you want to immerse yourself in the ups and downs, daily life, (warts and all) of 1750's Chinese culture don't miss The Story of the Stone et al.
Rating: 5
Summary: A Truly Revolutionary Classical Chinese Romantic Work
Comment: This book was written one year before the French Revolution, in 1788, in Beijing, China by a riches-to -rags nobleman called Cao Xue Quin. It is viewed by many as the greatest classical Chinese romantic novel ever written.
I read the original Chinese version of this book when I was in high school, many years ago. At that time, my impression was that it was a Chinese Romeo and Juliet type tragic love story, in which the main characters Bao-yu and his cousin Dai-yu (Black Jade) suffered the fate of unfulfilled love, and no ever after. There was more to it than that, but I could not figure out what.
Recently, I re-read the book (the current trans- lated version). This time it sounded like the Adven- tures of Tom Jones, in which the teen-aged playboy Bao-yu was dallying in the ranks of the female members of his household (his cousins and maids), longing after many but only truly loving Dai-yu.
It was also a bit similar to Upstairs Downstairs -- a big noble clan with all its ladies, young misses and maids, and their lives of adventures and tears. But something was still missing. There was a theme, a message, which draws me and others to this great work of literature.
I finally figured it out: Almost all the WOMEN in this book were described as elegant, sophisticated, intelligent, graceful, excellent decision makers, and above all, beautiful. Most MEN, however, were described as fools, red-necks, unfaithful, heart-breakers, nogooders, users of prostitutes and abusers of power!
What I am looking at is a book (or one-MAN crusade) of Early Feminism. It is all the more remarkable because in feudal China, women did not have equal status. "marrying for love" seldom existed. It was more like "married by parental arrangement". Poor girls were sold as maids into rich households, or worse, they were sold as second wives or concubines.
The confirmation of my theory came from the author Cao himself. In his introductory book review, he said, "Thus begins this book ... I have hidden the real events and substituted them with fiction ... There were real persons in the inner-chambers, and their stories must be told ..." (Modern translation: I have real women in my household).
This message would make this a truly revolutionary work, not only in feudal China, but even to-day.
Should have first read the book review by the author.
 |
Title: Six Records of a Floating Life (Penguin Classics) by Shen Fu, Leonard Pratt, Chiang Su-Hui ISBN: 0140444297 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 01 November, 1983 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
 |
Title: The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P'ing Mei by David Tod Roy ISBN: 0691016143 Publisher: Princeton University Press Pub. Date: 17 March, 1997 List Price(USD): $37.50 |
 |
Title: A Dream of Red Mansions (4-Volume Boxed Set) by Cao Xueqin, Gao E, Yang Xianyi ISBN: 7119006436 Publisher: Acacia Press, Inc. Pub. Date: 01 January, 2001 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
 |
Title: Three Kingdoms: Chinese Classics (Classic Novel in 4-Volumes) by Luo Guanzhong, Moss Roberts, Lo Kuan-Chung ISBN: 7119005901 Publisher: Foreign Language Press Pub. Date: 01 January, 2001 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
 |
Title: The Songs of the South: An Anthology of Ancient Chinese Poems by Qu Yuan and Other Poets (Penguin Classics) by David Hawkes, Qu Yuan ISBN: 0140443754 Publisher: Penguin USA Pub. Date: 01 February, 1995 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
