Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
An allegorical folktale that is part adventure story, part sacred Buddhist text, reimagined for the modern reader by a prolific poet and National Book Award nominee
Part spiritual pilgrimage, part historical epic, the folk novel
Journey to the West, which came to be known as
Monkey, is the most popular classic of Asian literature. Originally written in the sixteenth century, it is the story of the adventures of the rogue-trickster Monkey and his encounters with a bizarre cast of characters as he travels to India with the Buddhist pilgrim Tripitaka in search of sacred scriptures.
Much more than a picaresque adventure novel, Monkey is a profound allegory of the struggle that must occur before spiritual transformation is possible. David Kherdian's masterful telling brings this classic of Chinese literature to life in a way that is true to the scope and depth of the original.
Synopsis
A classic of Chinese literature, this beloved folktale is part adventure story, part spiritual allegory--now reimagined by a National Book Award nominee Part spiritual pilgrimage, part historical epic, the folk novel Journey to the West, which came to be known as Monkey, is the most popular classic of Asian literature. Originally written in the sixteenth century, it is the story of the adventures of the rogue-trickster Monkey and his encounters with a bizarre cast of characters as he travels to India with the Buddhist pilgrim Tripitaka in search of sacred scriptures.
Much more than a picaresque adventure novel, Monkey is a profound allegory of the struggle that must occur before spiritual transformation is possible. David Kherdian's masterful telling brings this classic of Chinese literature to life in a way that is true to the scope and depth of the original.
About the Author
David Kherdian is the author of over thirty books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. His biography of his mother, The Road from Home: The Story of an Armenian Girl , was nominated for the National Book Award, the Boston GlobeHorn Book Award, the Jane Addams Peace Award, and the Friends of American Writers Award. He currently lives in Blue Hill (Bangor), Maine.