About us
A monthly reading group dedicated to literature translated into English.
Each selection is chosen around a shared theme – political, cultural, historial, or simply imaginative – with the aim of showing what the world is thinking.
Many of the books we discuss sit alongside the kinds of titles recognised by prizes such as the International Booker, though the group isn't limited to contemporary writing — we also look at translated classics and older oddities.
This group is a complement to other book groups in Oxford; the intention here is simply a different style of conversation. Our meetings are structured around the book itself, using prepared questions and prompts to help guide the conversation (should they be helpful).
You're welcome to join even if you haven't finished the book, but please be aware that we will go into detail and, naturally, will totally "spoil" the book.
Upcoming events
2
To Live by Yu Hua, trans. Michael Berry
Gulp Fiction, Unit 28, 29 Covered Market,, Oxford, GBOriginally banned in China, To Live is a modern classic that follows the life of Fugui, an ordinary man whose fortunes rise and fall against the backdrop of twentieth-century China - from civil war to land reform, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution.
A few facts:
- One of the most widely read contemporary Chinese novels in translation.
- Yu Hua himself has said that the inspiration for To Live came from the American folk song entitled “Old Black Joe” about an elderly slave who looks on the world with kindness, despite a lifetime of hardship.
- Adapted into an award-winning film directed by Zhang Yimou.
- Frequently cited as a defining literary portrait of modern Chinese history from the perspective of ordinary people rather than political leaders.
- Banned for a period in China for its unsparing portrayal of hardship, which makes its tone of quiet humanity all the more striking.
To Live should hopefully provide us with an accessible entry point for discovering modern Chinese fiction.
If you're grabbing a new copy, it's available on Hive (there are two collection points in Oxford for free delivery).
14 attendees
Past events
3
