23 cover

23

Rating 3.0
Word count
18K words
Chapters
145
ISBN
9787549595617

Tags

Summary

“23” records a monologue and dialogue by the author under the wavering influence of inner and outer life interweaving. Throughout all the time spent shuttling daily between the place of sleep and the place of study, the writer, in a wandering, penetrating posture, passes through the washing and fermentation of dreams, and with the most condensed and candid words turns those unrepeatable imaginings and observations toward all participants.

Editor's review

“23” is the debut novel by young author Qiu He, published by Guangxi Normal University Press. With a unique narrative structure and delicate psychological description, the work explores the confusion and pursuit of contemporary young people in the process of growing up, emotion, and self-recognition. The story unfolds around a series of events experienced by the protagonist at the key age of 23; through the interweaving of reality and memory, it presents an inner journey about choice, loss, and reconciliation. Qiu He’s writing is fresh and restrained, without over-sentimentalizing, yet able to capture the subtle tremors of life in ordinary daily details, prompting readers to constantly reflect on themselves. This book is not youth literature in the traditional sense; it focuses more on philosophical reflection on the state of existence. The language is poetic and the rhythm unhurried, suitable for quiet savoring. In terms of content value, “23” offers profound insight into the spiritual world of the younger generation and possesses considerable literary and intellectual merit; it is a sincere work worthy of attention in recent Chinese-language literature.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers interested in inner growth and self-exploration
  • Literary enthusiasts who appreciate delicate psychological description and literary language
  • Young people around twenty-three facing a turning point in life
  • Readers who enjoy novels driven not by plot but by atmosphere and philosophical reflection

Not a good fit for

  • Readers seeking strong plot, fast pace, and dramatic conflict
  • Readers hoping for clear life answers or practical guidance

Reading tips

  1. It is recommended to read in a relatively quiet, undisturbed environment in order to immerse yourself in the work’s atmosphere and thoughts.
  2. Try slowing down your reading pace to savor the emotional details and symbolic meanings the author hides between the lines.
  3. After reading, you might reflect on your own experiences; perhaps you will arrive at a more personal understanding of the issues discussed in the book.

About the publisher

Guangxi Normal University Press China · Founded in 1986

Guangxi Normal University Press is a publisher known for literature, foreign literature and history titles. Its 1,175 books in the database show a solid accumulation in classics and prose collections, including foreign literary works such as Les Fleurs du mal: Annotated Poems of Baudelaire, Snow Country, Dubliners and The Wild Palms, as well as modern prose compilations like The Complete Prose of Zhou Zuoren. History and philosophy also hold a notable share, with titles such as Running Dogs: Clerks and Runners in Qing County Yamen and The History and Thought of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom reflecting attention to Qing local administration and modern history. In art literature there is the 16-volume Ten Bamboo Studio Painting and Calligraphy Manual. Its author resources include foreign writers Charles Baudelaire and Yasunari Kawabata, translators and annotators Liu Nanqi and Zou Bo, and scholars such as Zhong Shuhe, Bradly W. Reed and You Chenjun. As public information is limited, this characterization is based only on the books in the database, which together present a profile balancing Chinese and foreign literary classics with academic works in the humanities and social sciences.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 是多久
  3. 闹钟让梦
  4. 无知就像
  5. 结在
  6. 树石下
  7. 如果不曾浪费
  8. 光明,阳光
  9. 我是恒星
  10. 世界被无限撑开
  11. 慢
  12. 键盘
  13. 克制
  14. 太吵
  15. 蛋黄
  16. 醒后一小时
  17. 天上圆形亮物
  18. 走着就突然
  19. 拥塞
  20. 海绵耳塞
  21. 爆亮了的一闪
  22. 一种计划
  23. 再也看不到人
  24. 滚
  25. 高楼
  26. 书法或自由
  27. 第二天
  28. 我要让
  29. 爷爷奶奶
  30. 味觉或春天
  31. 背书
  32. 在最好的时候
  33. 笔烟
  34. A Long Fish
  35. 口华
  36. 笼子
  37. 可能性
  38. 无标题
  39. 越位
  40. 山和白光
  41. 练习
  42. 测量
  43. 一段纪实
  44. 凌晨荷澳
  45. 我不会降低标准
  46. 我去跑步了
  47. 等年像风
  48. 灰尘驮着灰尘下落
  49. 梦时手稿
  50. 老去
  51. 你是作家
  52. 你是摄影师
  53. 他拍电影
  54. 方言
  55. 突然置身人满为患的Ikea餐厅
  56. 轻和重
  57. 换行
  58. 汉译
  59. 做梦突然惊醒
  60. 石氧
  61. 梦见梦可以传递
  62. 火车
  63. 注视
  64. 谁死的时候是一瓶水
  65. 不及时说出
  66. 我要想象西川老师朗诵这首诗
  67. 孵蛋
  68. 无法证明
  69. 克制
  70. 自谦
  71. 过程的体感
  72. 回到了
  73. 碎
  74. 深知
  75. 陆地
  76. 外语
  77. 任凭
  78. 博尔赫斯
  79. 我看见我和语言
  80. 区分
  81. 文学史
  82. 全部
  83. 世界上只有一种爱
  84. 既然
  85. 柿红色背景的梦
  86. 学术著作
  87. 背后
  88. 睡前或关键词
  89. 视力
  90. 蜗牛
  91. 遮住
  92. 她说得那么小心和轻声
  93. 技术和知识
  94. 欧洲的海
  95. 音乐会
  96. 写给Wie
  97. 年份
  98. 为写论文早上五点入睡
  99. 分割
  100. 梦里我也在一直拍照
  101. 在这样一个方块里
  102. 文字的用途
  103. 广播
  104. 空荡或词的刮痕
  105. 男女之情
  106. 吵
  107. 北京突然下雨
  108. 我从原点出发
  109. 下午睡
  110. 回到来自的平地
  111. 墓志铭
  112. 沙滩边
  113. 电梯下坠
  114. 风逝般略略一过
  115. 你只给我十个字
  116. 那些不是我的字
  117. 我是竹林我是箭或醒的过程
  118. 现代汉语
  119. 我熟悉你
  120. 和我说
  121. 长归
  122. 你必须道歉
  123. 我们是这样一些人
  124. 自从
  125. 我很有限
  126. 相信我,醒过来
  127. 我的安放很奇怪
  128. 人和人见
  129. 日子
  130. 对死的理解
  131. 上限
  132. 临睡前
  133. 康复
  134. 历史里
  135. 脑科学
  136. 单纯的人
  137. 梦和记忆
  138. 就将
  139. 深层的隐喻
  140. 诗
  141. 戏
  142. 来
  143. 语言就像伤口
  144. 风吹拂像我呼吸
  145. 后记

FAQ

Is this book an autobiographical novel?
Although “23” carries a certain color of personal experience, it is not strictly autobiographical. Author Qiu He uses fictional narrative to explore universal themes of growing up; it is literary creation, not a record of life.
Is the book’s style very melancholy or heavy?
The work’s tone is quiet and introspective, with a faint sense of wistfulness, but it is not gloomy or heavy. It is more like a calm self-examination, containing the possibility of understanding and acceptance in retrospect.
Is it suitable as a gift for a friend about to turn 23?
If your friend enjoys literature and is willing to think, this would be a very apt and thoughtful gift. It is more like companionship and resonance than preaching.

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About the author

邱何 Author

Qiu He is an author about whom little public information is currently available. One work is held in the collection, the representative title 23, commonly classified under prose and miscellaneous writings. Based on the existing information, Qiu He writes mainly in the field of prose and miscellaneous essays. Although the number of works is small, the title has already entered the prose category of Chinese book classification, suggesting a personal, essayistic style rather than fiction or academic writing. Because basic details such as nationality, birth and death years, and English name cannot be confirmed, it is difficult to trace the author's life and creative development in more specific terms. Regarding the title 23, readers can only infer from its prose classification that the content may relate to personal experience, everyday observation, or fragments of thought, and should not read too much into it. Overall, Qiu He remains an author whose work awaits further disclosure, and readers may follow the style and thematic direction within the framework of prose and miscellaneous writings.

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