Everyone's File: A Collection of Awkward Moments

Author: Liu Yutang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-02-01
Features: If I say that Liu Yutang is one of the funniest writers, you wouldn’t disagree; I also think he is one of the writers who can bring warmth and comfort in this era. He has written about the Mountains with a frenzy for thirty years, and as a result, he has become a rare literary genius in the literary world—a writer who is talked about, admired, and unforgettable. He is a master of both simplicity and wit among Chinese writers. This is the impression I gained from reading The Complete Book of Awkwardness. The long new work by Shandong writer Liu Yutang is being launched by the "Masterpiece Library." The book passionately portrays the survival of intellectuals in a small county, gathering all kinds of awkwardness, embarrassment, unbearable situations, and helplessness from their daily lives. Humorous and witty, it also offers a rich enjoyment of the rustic charm of the countryside. Critics have called its success first and foremost in its linguistic features, with a smooth and flowing rhythm, combined with a bright and serene optimism. Farmer entrepreneur Liu Laoma told me a piece of news, saying that the Shagou, about two li away from the county seat, is being auctioned off for wasteland and wasteland. A mu of wasteland only costs 500 yuan, and it can be used for 50 years. Let’s just partner up and buy a hundred or so mu of it, develop it, and recoup the entire investment in no more than three or five years. You can also treat it as leisure—planting trees, growing flowers, fishing, and breathing fresh air. There’s something about ions, isn’t there? I said, negative oxygen ions.