The Book of Day and Night

Name: The Book of Day and Night
ISBN: 9787539653846

Han Shaogong安微文艺出版社Jun 2023

4.0

Word count: 185K words
ISBN: 9787539653846

Report an error Find this book

Summary

Through the life trajectories and personal entanglements and grievances of several people born in the 1950s, from the era of educated youth to the period of transition, the novel reflects the radiance of human nature and the changes of the times. Its focus is the conflict of temperament, emotion, and values. It vividly depicts various figures—officials, workers, private entrepreneurs, artists, and exiles of the 'post-educated-youth' generation—and, in doing so, uses their individual lives to answer the spiritual questions of the age.

Editor's review

"Book of Day and Night" is another major novel by Han Shaogong following "A Dictionary of Maqiao" and "Hints." Published in 2013, it won the first Lu Yao Literature Prize. Centering on the historical fate and spiritual world of the "sent-down youth generation," the novel follows several main characters' life trajectories across decades and profoundly explores the complex relationship between idealism, historical change, and individual existence. "Day" and "night" are both temporal images and metaphors for the double variation of public history and private memory, bright ideals and dark reality. With his characteristic speculative touch, Han Shaogong integrates grand historical narrative into delicate personal experience and psychological portrayal. It is both a literary archive of a generation's spiritual record and a continuing inquiry into humanity, revolution, enlightenment, and related themes. Reading this book, readers can feel not only the deep historical pain and vitality behind the words but also the author's craftsmanship in formal exploration—the novel's structure seems loose but actually constructs a polyphonic narrative space through the interweaving of memory fragments, dreams, and reality. For readers who wish to understand the spiritual journey of twentieth-century Chinese intellectuals or who expect literature to respond to history, this book offers a unique and tension-filled reading experience.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the relationship between sent-down youth literature, contemporary history, and individual fate
Readers who appreciate a fictional style that balances speculation and literary quality
Those who wish to understand more deeply the spiritual changes in Chinese society in the latter half of the last century
Enthusiasts or researchers of Han Shaogong's work

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking light entertainment or fast-paced plots
Readers uninterested in historical reflection and intellectual issues

Reading tips

Read alongside Han Shaogong's essays and theoretical works (such as "The Roots of Literature") to grasp his intellectual trajectory more fully
Do not insist on linear narrative; try to follow the author's flow of consciousness and memory flashbacks and appreciate his structural craftsmanship
The book involves much historical background and intellectual discussion; slowing the reading pace appropriately helps digest its speculative density

About the publisher

安微文艺出版社

Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House is a publishing institution focused mainly on literary and artistic books. Public information about it is currently limited, and the library contains only one of its titles: Han Shaogong's novel The Book of Day and Night. This representative title suggests that the publisher's direction leans toward contemporary literary creation and classic works, with attention to novels of intellectual depth and literary weight, and to cooperation with works by well-known authors. In classification, The Book of Day and Night is placed under classic works, indicating that the publisher values literary merit and lasting reading significance when selecting titles. Overall, Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House tends to build on outstanding author resources and to issue literary books that combine literary quality with intellectual substance, offering readers works worthy of repeated reading.

FAQ

What is the main storyline of "Book of Day and Night"?

The novel follows the decades-long ups and downs of several sent-down youth friends as its main line. Through cross-cutting narration and memory flashbacks, it shows their spiritual changes from idealistic youth to middle and old age, focusing on individual choices, trauma, and perseverance amid the tides of history.

What are the features of Han Shaogong's writing style in this novel?

It continues his characteristic speculative style, blending fiction, prose, and philosophical essay. The language is refined and rich in metaphor, and the narrative breaks linear time, emphasizing psychological depth and historical reflection.

How does this book differ from "A Dictionary of Maqiao"?

"A Dictionary of Maqiao" focuses more on the literary presentation of local knowledge through the dictionary form, while "Book of Day and Night" deals more centrally with a generation's historical experience and spiritual history; its narrative span is larger and the connection between characters' fates and the times is more direct.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Han Shaogong Author · China · 1953

Han Shaogong, born in Changsha, Hunan, in 1953 with ancestral roots in Li County, is a contemporary writer and one of the principal advocates of the "root-seeking literature" movement of the 1980s. His work spans fiction and essays, with representative titles including Dad, Dad, A Dictionary of Maqiao, South of the Mountains, North of the Water, and The Book of Day and Night. He has received the Lu Xun Literary Prize and the Newman Prize for Chinese Literature, and his works have been translated into multiple languages. His fiction often takes local language, folk memory, and rural experience as points of entry and is notable for formal experimentation, while his essays attend to social reality and cultural conditions in a calm, reflective tone. This collection holds 21 of his works, including selected writings, essay collections, and a revised edition of A Dictionary of Maqiao, reflecting his continuing exploration between fiction and nonfiction.