The Story of Lang: The Master of the Elephant Style: The Master of the Elephant Style

Author: William Henry Hudson
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: Before his death, his works had been bestsellers in Europe and America for over 20 years, with a total sales of over 6 million copies. In his lifetime, he wrote, edited, and illustrated more than 40 books, including bestsellers such as The Story of Mankind, The Human Family, Art, and The Dialogues of Heaven. The Story of Mankind alone went through 32 editions. In China's publishing industry, he also created miracles. His translated works were bestsellers for over a decade from the mid-1920s to the late 1930s, and were rediscovered in the 1980s. From the late 1990s to 2001, a strong "Van Loon fever" even emerged. Among American writers, few can leave such a deep impression on Chinese readers across generations as Van Loon. Moreover, he was a non-fiction popular writer who wrote about history, geography, art, and biographies of famous figures. The Life of Van Loon, originally titled The Story of Hendrik Willem van Loon, was published by J.B. Lippincott & Co. in 1972. Unlike typical memoirs written by a celebrity's friends or family, the author gathered materials from both sides, extensively letters between Van Loon and his friends or family, combined with his close daily interactions with Van Loon, and his lively, humorous writing style, creating a comprehensive and engaging biography. What is even more remarkable is that the author avoids the usual reverence and nostalgia often found in memoirs written by a son about his father. The book fully exposes Van Loon's darker side. In the author's portrayal, Van Loon is no longer a figure worthy of admiration, but a selfish, arrogant, and attention-seeking individual. It presents a real, lovable yet infuriating, and flesh-and-blood image of the writer Van Loon.