Grandpa Wang

Name: Grandpa Wang
ISBN: 9787229222987

王小列Chongqing Publishing House · ChinaAug 2026

2.9

Word count: 112K words
Chapters: 28
ISBN: 9787229222987

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Summary

Wang Yeye is a son's belated confession to his departed father, recounting the complex family dynamics between "me" and my father, "Wang Yeye," and capturing the emotional push and pull between two generations—intimate yet distant. Wang Yeye is a stubborn, sentimental old man who refuses to accept his age. In his later years, when he is diagnosed with lung cancer, he is brought to Beijing for treatment and care, where he and his son engage in a silent struggle over freedom, dignity, and who holds sway in the family. As the son who has long stayed by his side, "I" have always supported his life like "air," yet could never win the emotional closeness and recognition that my sister—more like "chocolate"—enjoyed. This "distant fragrance, near stench" dynamic becomes the knot between father and son.

Wang Yeye passed away in 2022, before his daughter could return from abroad, and before he could see the release of the film Goodbye, Li Kele, adapted from his son's novel My Dad Is a "Dog." His passing leaves "me" to rediscover, amid regret and release, the vulnerability, love, and frustration behind "patriarchal authority."

Editor's review

This is a work of family memoir centered on the father-son relationship. Looking back on his father's final years through a son's eyes, the author transforms the daily experience of caring for an ailing father into a close observation of freedom, dignity, and family authority. The contrast between "air" and "chocolate" precisely captures the subtle emotional gap between the constant companion and the occasional visitor, and reveals the universal family knot of "distant fragrance, near stench." Rather than relying on sentimentality, the text lets readers see the vulnerability and frustration behind patriarchal authority through the everyday struggles between a stubborn old man and a silent son. It is suited to quiet, unhurried reading, especially for readers who feel an emotional distance from their parents or are caring—or have cared—for an elderly relative, and who might find their own understanding and release through another's farewell.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Adult readers who feel distant from their fathers and hope to better understand their elders
People currently caring for an ill elderly relative who need emotional resonance and psychological support
Nonfiction readers interested in family relationships and intergenerational communication
Readers seeking reconciliation with regret and loss after a loved one's death

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer tightly plotted, strongly narrative fiction
Readers expecting a practical caregiving guide or medical advice
People uninterested in family-emotion subjects who read only knowledge-based books

Reading tips

Read during quieter, emotionally steady periods, leaving room for feelings to settle.
When you reach a father-son conflict, pause and recall similar scenes with your own elders before continuing.
Read together with family members or take turns, then discuss your own feelings about "distant fragrance, near stench."
After finishing, write down one sentence you wish you had said to an elder but never did, as a response.

About the publisher

Chongqing Publishing House China · Founded in 1950

Chongqing Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for its titles in the humanities, social sciences, literature and arts, with about 940 books in its catalogue. Its publishing areas cover world history, science fiction, foreign literature, architecture and philosophy. Representative titles include Xiang Da's A History of Communications Between China and the West, Liang Sicheng's Rules of Qing-Style Construction, Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem II: The Dark Forest and III: Death's End, Ann Rand's The Fountainhead (25th Anniversary Edition), and Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series. Its authors include Xiang Da, Liu Cixin, Liang Sicheng and Ann Rand. The press has developed distinctive strengths in historical source editing, the introduction and creation of science fiction, the translation of foreign literature, and architecture and philosophy titles, balancing scholarly value with general readership. As public information is limited, this profile outlines its publishing directions based only on the books in the catalogue.

版权信息
序
一王爷爷
二失落的“王”
三快意人生
四英雄主义的年代
五感性与理智的撕扯
六无畏是最深刻的恐惧
七关于王爷爷的爱情
八王爷爷和他的女儿
九秦腔：衰老的史诗
十王爷爷的安全感
十一关中胃
十二远去的五十年代
十三理发
十四塞翁失马
十五魔幻现实主义
十六远近非亲疏
十七重度网瘾患者
十八见到陌生的自己
十九家庭定义权
二十张元济
二十一再见，李可乐
二十二王爷爷的铁三角
二十三死亡预演
二十四极致的兄妹之情
二十五王爷爷的幸福指数
二十六学会放弃

FAQ

What relationship is this book mainly about?

It centers on the father-son relationship between the son and his father, "Wang Yeye." The book depicts the emotional push and pull between two generations—intimate yet distant—and the silent struggle over freedom, dignity, and family authority during the father's late-life care.

What do the metaphors "air" and "chocolate" mean in the book?

"Air" refers to the son who stays by his father's side long-term and quietly supports his life; "chocolate" refers to the sister who appears only occasionally yet wins their father's emotional closeness. This contrast captures the father-son knot of "distant fragrance, near stench."

Is it easy to get emotionally unsettled while reading?

The book deals with the father's illness, death, and unfulfilled wishes; the emotional intensity is high, though the tone is restrained. If you have recently lost a loved one, consider slowing your pace and reading in sections if needed.

Is it suitable as a gift for parents or children?

Yes. The book portrays the real friction and emotional gaps between two generations living together. Children can better understand their elders' stubbornness and vulnerability, while parents can see the付出 and hurt of the caregiver's perspective, making it easier to see things from each other's side.

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About the author

王小列 Author

Wang Xiaolie is an author about whom limited public information is available. The library holds only one work by this author, titled Grandpa Wang. According to its common classification, the book falls under essays and miscellaneous writings, suggesting that the author's writing tends toward prose sketches or narrative essays rather than fiction or academic monographs. Based on the available information, it is not possible to confirm Wang Xiaolie's nationality, dates of birth and death, educational background, or writing career, and no English name has been recorded, so a full picture of the author's creative development cannot be drawn. What can be established is that the title Grandpa Wang points clearly to a person, usually implying that the work centers on an elderly figure and may touch on themes common to prose writing, such as family memory, rural life, or intergenerational relationships. Since the library contains only one work, Wang Xiaolie currently appears on this site as an author known to readers through a single prose work, and the author's style and influence await further material before they can be assessed.