Selected Foreign Humorous and Satirical Novels Upper and Lower

Author: Liao Yonghong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: This book, as a collection of humorous and satirical fiction, does not include snippets of humor, short jokes, or "dianzi" (short humorous anecdotes). It selects only works by renowned authors who have achieved artistic maturity in their humorous and satirical novels. Reading humorous and satirical fiction will never be as straightforward or effortless as looking at a humorous and satirical painting, but in terms of information, imagery, and implications, it is undoubtedly richer and deeper. As for "satire," it is very similar to humor—it's like two siblings born from the same mother. Humor is gentle, mellow, and satire is sharp and pungent. Within their respective domains, they can have temperature differences ranging from one degree to one hundred and eighty degrees. Humor increases a bit, goes overboard, or steps out of bounds, and it often turns into satire. Satire, on the other hand, often retains the element of humor; it seems that without humor, satire would be difficult to produce. Just as a matchstick cannot produce a spark without a bit of phosphorus at its tip, satire finds it hard to arise without humor.