Home and Country
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Summary
Editor's review
Xiao Renfu's touch remains sharp and profound; he excels at revealing the essential in the small, using the trivial details of daily life to reflect deep shifts in social structure. The characters are full and three-dimensional, encompassing both the ideals and bewilderment of intellectuals and the resilience and wisdom of ordinary people. Their choices and struggles amid the waves of history form vivid footnotes to China's social change. The author does not simply judge right and wrong but, through calm and restrained narration, presents the complexity and many-sidedness of people in an era of transition.
In literary terms, Family and Nation continues Xiao Renfu's tradition of realist creation, with steady, solid narration and plain, powerful language. The book is not only a family epic but also a window onto contemporary Chinese society. Its core proposition—how individuals can find a place to anchor themselves between the traditional unity of family and nation and the impact of modernity—has universal value for reflection. For readers concerned with contemporary Chinese literature and social change, this work offers a rare reading experience and intellectual illumination.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in contemporary Chinese social change and family fate
- Literature lovers who enjoy realist fiction and value the integration of character portrayal with historical background
- Observers who hope to understand China's social transformation in recent decades through literature
- Readers who appreciate the style of Xiao Renfu's earlier works and follow his creative development
Not a good fit for
- Readers who prefer fast-paced genre fiction with strong plot conflict
- Readers with little patience for substantial realist long-form narrative
Reading tips
- Read in chapter order and follow the timeline to feel the interaction between characters and their era
- Pay attention to the nuanced depictions of life across different professions and social strata
- As you read, consider how the concepts of "family" and "nation" manifest and create tension in individual lives
About the publisher
Thread-Binding Books Publishing House publishes major works of classical Chinese culture and contemporary academic writings in traditional thread-bound form, and also issues books on social sciences, poetry, calligraphy and painting, and local chronicles and yearbooks. Judging from the 105 titles in its catalogue, its publishing focuses on traditional culture and the humanities: on the one hand, historical and modern-history works such as Liu Rushi Biezhuan and Rediscovering Modern China, as well as annotated editions of Buddhist and Daoist classics including Detailed Explanations of the Qingjing Jing, Annotations on Liaofan's Four Lessons, and an Appreciation of the Ksitigarbha Sutra in Small Regular Script; on the other, works on spiritual cultivation and literary culture such as Awakening: Venerable Master Hsing Yun's Lessons on Spiritual Practice, Family and Country, and Earth Bones. Its authors include scholars and writers such as Chen Yinke, Ma Yong, Xiao Dengfu, Venerable Master Hsing Yun, Yuan Liaofan, Zeng Qiyun and Xiao Renfu, reflecting a publishing profile that relies on distinguished scholars and emphasizes classic annotation and elegant book design.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第一章 一心干事业，也要留意有人一心踩你尾巴
- 第二章 领导与亲信，这点默契不能少
- 第三章 为防墙倒众人推，要有添砖加瓦的技术活
- 第四章 四年一溜的政绩投机者
- 第五章 市政府里市长只有一个，想进步得靠PK
- 第六章 召集or主持，一词之差意义大不同
- 第七章 找出他身后的女人，事情就成功了一半
- 第八章 权力是一根吊诡的绳子，只能跟着它走
- 第九章 以退为进，保证对手顺利当选
- 第十章 没有官气的柳居山不像官，倒像邻家大哥
- 第十一章 领导身边人的微妙处境
- 第十二章 官在威在，官失势失
- 第十三章 能人出马，上级提包
- 第十四章 仅有政绩不行，还得有格局
- 第十五章 先予后取，实现双赢
- 第十六章 任何时候，都要给领导留足空间
- 第十七章 有多少人说你好话，就会有多少人说你坏话
- 第十八章 谁影响儒州建设一阵子，我就影响他美好人生一辈子
- 第十九章 不出政绩，在地方百姓面前不好交代
- 第二十章 哪里有资本，哪里就有趋之若鹜的人
- 第二十一章 经济大棋局，领导最清楚
- 第二十二章 首长题字的学问
- 第二十三章 干事就不可避免犯错，不干事才不会犯错
- 第二十四章 饭局是团结核心班底的重要场合
- 第二十五章 用好官场平衡术，位子才能坐得稳
- 本书续集预告
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About the author
Xiao Renfu (born 1960) is a Miao writer from Chengbu, Hunan, and a member of the China Writers Association. He formerly served as vice chairman of the Shaoyang Federation of Literary and Art Circles and chairman of the city's Writers Association. Drawing on institutional life and social reality, his fiction focuses on officialdom and the ups and downs of bureaucratic careers, rendering the workings of power and human nature through closely observed personal and professional relationships. His novels include Guan Yun, Weizhi, Xinfu, Daiyu and Shitu, as well as the historical novel Li Hongzhang; 17 of his works are held in this collection. Known for his sustained engagement with institutional themes, he has been called "the foremost writer of Chinese office novels." His work spans social fiction and historical narrative, combining accessible storytelling with sober observation of contemporary reality.
