Swimming

Name: Swimming
ISBN: 9787530683682

陈莉莉Baihua Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaFeb 2024

3.4

Word count: 135K words
Chapters: 58
ISBN: 9787530683682

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Summary

This is the first short story collection by young writer LiLi Chen, consisting of ten novellas and short stories: "Swimming," "The Penrose Legend," "The Presidential Suite," "The Chain of Happiness," "River Burial," "The Third Person," "Dedication," "Ice Sculpture," "The Basement," and "Mr. Wang's Father." LiLi Chen brings a distinctive eye to the everyday lives of ordinary people in contemporary society, revealing the rich human texture of a changing era. The stories focus on human nature with tolerance, reconciliation, sympathy, and compassion; the details are finely crafted, the psychological portraits delicate, and the language poetic. An excellent collection of novellas and short stories.

Editor's review

"Swimming" is a literary work by Chen Lili that focuses on individual life experience and inner exploration. It is not a guide to swimming technique; rather, it uses "swimming" as a recurring metaphor to portray the protagonist's drifting, struggle, and self-redemption in the currents of life. With delicate, keen strokes, Chen Lili builds a textual world steeped in moisture and light and shadow. The book's explorations of loneliness, memory, loss, and reconciliation ripple outward like water and move the heart.

In literary terms, the narrative is slow-paced yet full of tension, and the language is clear and poetic, reflecting the author's deep observation of the modern spiritual condition. It does not pursue dramatic plot conflict but strives to present the subtle emotional folds overlooked in daily life. This inward-looking stance gives the work a quiet, enduring power. For readers seeking spiritual resonance and those who enjoy savoring the texture of life in words, this book offers a rare immersive reading experience. It is more like a mirror reflecting the reader's own image and prompting reflection on how to face life's "deep waters."

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who love literary fiction with poetic language
Readers interested in exploring inner worlds and life's metaphors
People seeking solace and understanding amid life changes or emotional turmoil
Literary enthusiasts who appreciate delicate psychological description and atmosphere

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting fast-paced stories with strong plot conflicts
Pragmatists hoping to gain specific swimming techniques or sports knowledge

Reading tips

Best read in a quiet, undisturbed setting to fully immerse in the book's atmosphere and mood
Pay attention to the recurring and varying images of "water" and "swimming" throughout the book, and reflect on their symbolic meaning
After finishing, linger a while on the passages about memory and time; they may leave you with new reflections

About the publisher

Baihua Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1958

Founded in August 1958 and restructured into Baihua Literature and Art Publishing House (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. in 2009, Baihua Literature and Art Publishing House is known for publishing essays and fiction, and it hosts the journals Fiction Monthly and Essays. Its 757 titles in the library span classic works, culture, folk literature, essays and miscellaneous writings, foreign literature, and general biography. They include Lao She's Camel Xiangzi, Zhu Ziqing's selected essays and Classic Essays, Fu Lei's Twenty Lectures on Masterpieces of World Art, and a Chinese translation of Ryūnosuke Akutagawa's Rashōmon, as well as cultural and performing-arts titles such as the illustrated Biography of Liang Qichao and A Dictionary of Crosstalk. Its authors include Lao She, Zhu Ziqing, Wu Qichang, Fu Lei, Xue Baokun, Gao Yucong, Wei Zhiqiang, and Ryūnosuke Akutagawa.

版权信息
游泳
一
二
三
四
五
六
七
八
九
十
彭罗斯传说
一
二
三
四
五
六
总统套房
一
二
三
四
五
六
七
八
九
十
幸福链
一、朱妮妮
二、万小东
三、我
四、场景
五、事件
江葬
第三个人
回向
一
二
三
四
五
冰雕
地下室
一
二
三
四
五
六
七
八
王先生的父亲
一
二
三

FAQ

Is this book a story about learning to swim?

Not exactly. "Swimming" serves mainly as a central metaphor in this book, symbolizing a person's movement through life. The story focuses more on the characters' inner worlds and emotional currents than on teaching specific swimming skills.

What is the style of this book?

The book is highly literary, with a quiet, introspective, and poetic style. The narrative pace is gentle, emphasizing psychological portrayal and atmosphere, making it suitable for savoring in calm.

Does the author Chen Lili have other well-known works?

Chen Lili is a writer focused on literary creation, whose works often explore the relationship between the individual and the city, and between memory and reality. Swimming is one of her representative novels, showcasing her consistent delicate style and humanistic concern.

Comments

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About the author

陈莉莉 Author

Little is publicly known about Chen Lili; her nationality, dates of birth and death, and full writing career cannot yet be confirmed. According to the available catalog information, she has one work, Swimming, which is listed among classic works. The title suggests that the book may center on swimming as a water sport, or use it to explore experiences connected with water, the body, and growing up, though its specific content and genre still await further documentation. Although only this one work appears under her name, it is enough to bring her name to readers' attention in libraries or reading lists. For an author about whom information is scarce, the work itself often says more than a biography can. That Swimming is classified as a classic work indicates a degree of recognition in its own context, and it deserves close reading for its subject matter and prose style, so that readers may appreciate how the author presents the world in the water with plain or distinctive strokes.