Breakout stage for Chinese books
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Lusby also discusses what types or genres of Chinese novels are popular abroad: "Literary fiction which has a basis in film works well. Authors that use strong, vivid imagery are often successful because the imagery is kept through translation." For example, Zhu Wen who wrote "I Love Dollars and Other Stories of China" is also a film maker.
Memoirs are also popular outside of China. "Readers really respond because the stories are so rich," says Lusby. These memoirs are not necessarily all about the "cultural revolution." They are "stories of redemption," as Lusby calls them, recounting how characters overcome difficulties.
Often, these memoirs are written directly in a foreign language. There is an increasing number of Chinese writers publishing works outside of China in languages other than Chinese.
"Not having to work through a translator, these writers find it easier to be published abroad and have a higher profile in the West than those still writing in Chinese and living here," Humes says.
For example, Gao Xingjian, winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Literature and an emigre to France since 1987, has a strong grasp of French so he can work closely with his translator to ensure his translated works' accuracy and readability.
The list of Chinese authors writing in a foreign language is growing. There is Dai Sijie, who wrote "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress" in French, Li Liyun who wrote "The Vagrants" in English and Guo Xiaolu who wrote "The Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers" in English.
Lusby from Penguin Publishing China believes that these books are often more popular abroad because the authors share the same perspective as their foreign readers. They do not need to "fill in the gaps" which are left open from translation.
"To Live" (1992) spans four decades of history from before the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45) to the "cultural revolution" (1966-76). This novel, which has also been adapted to film by Zhang Yimou, captures the essence of China's tumultuous history and tells of the tenacity of the human spirit through the saga of one man's tragic life.
"Brothers" (2005 and 2006) is an epic and wildly unhinged black comedy of modern Chinese society. The story recounts life in a Chinese village from the early days of the "cultural revolution" to the present.
Su Tong
"Rice" (2004) is a disturbing tale about the brutality of life in China during the 1930s. The story describes how a peasant exacts revenge over those that mistreated him at a large rice emporium where he worked.
Wang Shuo
He was one of the most famous writers in China during the 1990s. He is a national best-seller and some of his books include "Playing for Thrills" (1989), "Please Don't Call Me Human" (1989), and "No Regrets about Youth" (1991). His satirical works capture the essence of modern Beijing.
Hong Ying
"Daughter of the River" (1997) is a close autobiographical account of Hong Ying's life as a poor girl in the slums of Chongqing. She reveals the emotional and physical deprivations she experienced in her youth.
Wang Gang
"English" (2004) depicts the life of a young boy in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The arrival of a new English teacher in Urumqi inspires the boy to direct all his energy and effort toward learning English.
"English" is a transcendent novel about the power of language to launch a journey of self-discovery.
