"Drowning" by Yu Dafu BOOK REVIEW / Patron Only Early Access Ad-Free
A Chinese Decadent Novel.
If you were a fan of Osamu Dazai's 'No Longer Human', I highly recommend it.
If you liked NO LONGER HUMAN by DAZAI...Try DROWNING by Yu Dafu BOOK REVIEW (YouTube)
Comments (4)
Hi Cliff, As a Chinese person, I did a happy dance when you released this video! Thank you for an inspiring, thoughtful, and nuanced review of “Drowning.” Many of us were touched by the care you put into this review in particular. In fact, several Discord folks bought this book immediately after watching this video! For some of them, “Drowning” will be their first Chinese book. They couldn’t help but buy it. We were all moved by your explanations of Yu Dafu’s themes, characters, and zeitgeist. You did a marvelous job creating an empathetic and nuanced review of what “sunk” Dafu’s protagonist. The protagonist wasn’t just damned by racial tensions, displacement, and depression/anxiety. “Drowning” is so much deeper than that and you address its complexities with skill and compassion. Thanks again for this video. I enjoyed it very much! Best wishes from California as always, Cliff! Have a great week. :) Warmly, Elizabeth
Thanks very much for the kind words Elizabeth, my pleasure. Awesome, that's great to hear, happy to spread the word. So glad you enjoyed and people are reading it. It really does seem to capture a mood of timeless alienation. Have a great week as well and best wishes from Florida! Cliff
If you're interested in a Chinese memoir I would recommend "1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows" by the contemporary artist Ai Weiwei. It encapsulates the lived experience of living through the Chinese Cultural Revolution from the 1910s up to now, through the eyes of one of the world's most important artistic and political figures. His father had friendship with Pablo Neruda, and Weiwei helped build the Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing...shortly afterwards being detained by the Chinese government. Highly recommend.
Thank you Cliff, engrossing and thoughtful as always, and about an author and novel I've never even heard of. Your videos always make me think, a gift of well articulated feelings you have, Yoda would say. As for Americans having thick skins, the nation could be a bit more caring about the condition of the planet. Will keep your channel in the literary realm and stay out of politics. Thank you, another wonderful video.