Selected Essays of Contemporary America = Best Contemporary American

Author: Qi Shouhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: The translation of "essay" is generally essays, prose, sketches, and short pieces, perhaps because its connotations and extensions in English are somewhat ambiguous and vague. Maybe this is also where its charm lies. This collection is titled "Selected Contemporary American Prose." It should be noted that the "prose" here is not the narrow lyrical or narrative prose in Chinese, but a more flexible and broad concept or writing style. The "prose" collected here almost every piece has narrative, lyrical elements, and details about trivial matters like haircuts and naps, as well as international conflicts such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The styles range from solemn to humorous, but their common point is a candid and courageous sense and reflection on oneself, life, and the world, and a true revelation of these feelings and thoughts to the readers. The editors believe this is the soul of "prose." Without a deep sense of personal experience, without profound reflection, and without courageous revelation, even the most beautiful writing can only be a slightly pleasant "artificial lament." It should also be noted that the word "selected" means that all the "prose" included in this collection won the "Best Essay of the Year" award in the year of their publication, which is enough to explain why they are included in this collection. A careful reader who flips through the table of contents and sees names like Saul Bellow and Joyce Carol Oates will realize that almost all the "prose" here are the great masters of contemporary American literature. Additionally, almost all the "prose" were published after the 1990s, making them as contemporary as possible. The editor has provided author briefs, brief reviews (or appreciations), and notes for each "prose" to assist readers in reading and appreciating them. The reviews or appreciations are the editor's personal reflections or insights from their reading, while the notes include terms or expressions related to contemporary American social and cultural life that are not easily found in general reference books in China. Readers can share their feelings and insights with the editor via email during their reading and appreciation.