I have such huge flux of intriguing books that I have to modify almost constantly my summer reading list. The latest ones are actually twins in terms of the settings: one in Shanghai and the other Beijing. Shanghai Girls is Lisa Lee’s latest. In 1937, after their father gambled away the family’s fortune, the sisters, Pearl and May, were arranged to arrange Golden Mountain men respectively. They were to either remain in China to take care of their mother-in-laws or to move to live with their Chinese American husbands in Los Angeles. Set in Shanghai the center of style and modernity, when arranged marriage was considered old, how would the sisters cope with the change of the family’s fortune and their fate? Lisa See’s exhausted research in Chinese culture and traditions had left a good impression from reading PPeony in Love.
Beijing: A Novel is quite a find. That it is published by a university press gives the seal of proof that this is not your average gay “sexascape” type of novel. Escaping his ghosts, AIDS widower David Masiello accepts a one-year position at a Western medical clinic in Beijing. Lonely but excited, he sets out to explore the city—both its bustling street life and its clandestine gay subculture. The author, Philip Gambone, is an award-winning essayist, journalist, and fiction writer living in Boston. He teaches writing at Harvard University. I’m looking forward to reading it in Lake Las Vegas next week.
Filed under: Books, China, Chinese Literature, Contemporary Literature, Literature | Tagged: Beijing: A Novel, Books, Chinese Literature, Contemporary Literature, Literature, Shanghai Girls
I often find myself wanting to tweak my reading lists when new books come into play, too. I had not heard of Beijing: A Novel. Do you think you will get to it soon? I wonder if it is a book my uncle would enjoy.
I haven’t been able to stick to my reading list at all. I keep saying I’ll read something and then somehow, another enticing books finds its way into my hands… and suddenly jumps to number one on my list.
Those are great choices that you have. I’m particularly excited to hear about Beijing: A Novel. A good friend of mine is a gay man working through his AIDS pos diagnosis – I’m always interested in hearing how others work through it.
What I am reading next is a swiftly moving target. I am so fickle! Both of these books sound amazing…I’ve actually heard of Shanghai Girls and it received favorable reviews.
I mostly read from my Kindle, and saw Shanghai Girls on it, and downloaded the sample (they are free). Looked interesting, but am heavy into other reads right now — the most interesting of which was “The girl with the dragon tattoo, which has a sequel I have done a pre-order on, after I finished the first, and liked it so much. But I also want to read the full Shanghai Girls. I just got back from two weeks in Beijing, and it is a most interesting city, so maybe eventually will look for the Beijing Boys to see if it has much city loire in it, which would be very interesting after having just visited that city. Things in China are very very cheap somehow, and it’s really worth while to visit it.
it seems I change my readinglist on a weekly basis. i can only count on what I might be reading for the next couple of days.
I read “Shanghai Girls” last night and enjoyed it. I will admit that this is the first Lisa See book that held my attention based the first chapter or so.
So I liked the history and the immigrantionissue.
I really like Shanghai Girls (not quite as much as Snowflower). Beiijung is a new title for me; hope you enjoy it!
Both books seem interesting. I have heard of Shanghai Girls before and I guess, I, too, have to do some rearranging in my reading list to incorporate it.
I’m waiting a copy of Farewell, Shanghai to arrive from Amazon. Shanghai Girls would go well with that. I’m reading Crabwalk now, will probably review it in a few days.
Greetings,
Tiina
Having the same waffling on reading choices lately. Along your theme today, recently came into a copy of The Beijing of Possibilities, and really want to dive into those stories. Variety of experiences of Beijing residents on eve of 2008 Olympics.
I’m always changing up the arrangement of what to read next!! Sounds like you’ve got a great pair of books to read. I loved Shanghai Girls so I hope you enjoy it and Beijing sounds really good too…Enjoy!
It’s going to be a long, hard wait for me for Shanghai Girls to come out in paperback.
I’m already starting my reading list for when we go on vacation but I just know that’s going to go through various changes
I really want to read Shanghai Girls. I keep hearing such great things about that book.
I am looking forward to reading Shanghai Girls.
She will come to New Orleans when the paperback version comes out. I might wait until then, so I can get my copy autographed and listen to her reading it.