Chatting with Ba Jin

Author: Jiang Deming
Publisher:
Publishing Time:
Features: "A Chat with Ba Jin" is a small book that can be held under the covers, light enough to be held in your hands. With the warm glow of a desk lamp, you can finish it in one night. It is indeed a casual chat, or perhaps a diary, mostly discussing topics like book editing, printing, and buying old books. There are also some anecdotes about writers, making it a light read that reveals the life and creative journey of the writer. "The recorded texts span nearly two decades, with some unintentional omissions or deliberate exclusions. However, I dare not fabricate any words out of thin air, confident that I have not failed to live up to Ba Laoshi's trust in me. Due to the geographical distance between north and south, I could not seek his advice frequently. I did not, and could not, arbitrarily fabricate a Ba Jin for the sake of leaving some historical materials for those who study him." While not much is revealed about the writer or anecdotes, there is more discussion about magazines, books, cover designs, and printing techniques from the 1930s. For example, "WenCong" edited by Jin Yi, "Haiyan" edited by Nie Gongnu, and "Dongfang Zazhi" edited by Hu Yuzhi. These are no longer visible today and are truly invaluable historical materials for us and the younger generation.