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Fear was my gateway to becoming interested in stories. My nanny growing up, a Scottish expat named Jackie with a fox pelt of red hair and a manic... Continue »

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Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

by Sijie Dai

ISBN13: 9780385722209
ISBN10: 0385722206
Condition: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress is an enchanting tale that captures the magic of reading and the wonder of romantic awakening. An immediate international bestseller, it tells the story of two hapless city boys exiled to a remote mountain village for re-education during Chinas infamous Cultural Revolution. There the two friends meet the daughter of the local tailor and discover a hidden stash of Western classics in Chinese translation. As they flirt with the seamstress and secretly devour these banned works, the two friends find transit from their grim surroundings to worlds they never imagined.

About the Author

Born in China in 1954, Dai Sijie is a filmmaker who was himself “re-educated” between 1971 and 1974.

He left China in 1984 for France, where he has lived and worked ever since. This, his first novel, was an overnight sensation when it appeared in France in 2000, becoming an immediate best-seller and winning five prizes. Rights to the novel have been sold in nineteen countries, and it is soon to be made into a film.

From the Hardcover edition.

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Average customer rating based on 3 comments:

: SarahNicoleD, August 6, 2012 (view all comments by SarahNicoleD)
This is honestly one of my favorite books. Sijie Dai's writing is absolutely gorgeous, the plot's placing is flawless, and it's just an interesting read overall. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone would likes strong characters,vivid descriptions, and compelling plot twists ... which is pretty much everyone, so go out and read it!
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: Zmrzlina, October 22, 2007 (view all comments by Zmrzlina)
A story that transports the reader through time and awakens the magic that is reading. Two young men sent off for "re-education" during the Chinese Cultural Revolution find their education in strange places. Elegant and finely stitched narrative.
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: Hibba, March 13, 2007 (view all comments by Hibba)
A simple story about two boys who are sent off to a village high in the mountains to be re-educated during China's cultural revolution. They are gifted with the ability for story-telling that affects the villagers and those reading.
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Product Details

ISBN:: 9780385722209
Translator:: Sijie, Dai
Author:: Rilke, Ina
Author:: Dai, Sijie
Author:: Sijie, Dai
Publisher:: Anchor Books
Location:: New York
Subject:: General
Subject:: Literary
Subject:: History
Subject:: China
Subject:: Man-woman relationships
Subject:: Political fiction
Subject:: Prohibited books
Subject:: General Fiction
Subject:: Literature-A to Z
Edition Description:: Trade paper
Series Volume:: 61
Publication Date:: 20021031
Binding:: TRADE PAPER
Grade Level:: General/trade
Language:: English
Pages:: 192
Dimensions:: 8 x 5.1 x 0.5 in 0.375 lb

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Featured Titles » Literature
Fiction and Poetry » Literature » A to Z
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