Starting Over
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Summary
Representative literary works: the novels Zhuan Shen, Chong Lai, and Guo Fa, among which Guo Fa won the Second World Chinese Literature Fiction Award. Her essays and poetry have appeared in journals and online. The poem "The Other Shore, China—My Mother" won an excellence award in the 2020 national poetry, calligraphy, and painting competition on combating COVID-19. Her new novel He Qu He Cong is expected to be published by Xinhua Publishing House in 2024.
Representative academic papers include "Investigation and Research on the First National Folk Music and Dance Festival," "Impressions of the First 'China Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Achievements Exhibition' and Its Special Performances," "The Transmission of Daoist Rituals of Guangzong in Folk Belief," and "A Study of Daoist Rituals in Guangzong, Hebei—A Case Study of the Funeral of Ma Zengshun's Mother in Xiangjiazhuang."
Editor's review
From a professional standpoint, the book's value lies in offering a non-preachy path to growth. It provides no universal formula; instead, it guides readers to reflect on their own circumstances through the protagonist's struggles and reflections. Its discussions of "time," "memory," and "choice" are especially profound, revealing that "starting over" is not a simple return to the beginning or an erasure of the past, but a more clear-eyed journey undertaken with wounds and experience. Its literary quality shows in precise emotional depiction and a restrained style that avoids sentimental excess, giving the story a more enduring resonance. For readers in a transitional period of life or seeking inner peace, this book is like a mirror and a silent companion; its value lies in inspiring deep self-reflection rather than offering immediate answers.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- People at a turning point or low point in life, seeking psychological resonance and a way forward
- Readers interested in works that combine personal growth and psychology with narrative literature
- Literature lovers who enjoy delicate inner portrayal and deep emotional exploration
- Thinkers who wish to reflect on their own life trajectories through others' stories
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting quick, concrete methodologies or success-oriented techniques
- Readers who prefer strong plot and fast-paced genre fiction
Reading tips
- Read in a relatively quiet, undisturbed environment to better immerse yourself in the emotional atmosphere of the text.
- Try slowing your reading pace, pausing at passages that resonate or prompt thought to take notes or reflect.
- After each major chapter, close the book and recall related experiences of your own, building a connection between the book and yourself.
About the publisher
Xinhua Publishing House is known for books on politics, journalism, biography and the social sciences. Its 519 titles in the catalog cover world history, social culture, history reading, military affairs, language and writing, and applied psychology. Representative books include Winston Churchill's multi-volume A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, John Dewey's Art as Experience, Wayne Booth's The Craft of Research, and The Chicago Guide to Writing About Research, as well as military history such as Defeat into Victory: The Decisive Campaign in Burma and India, 1942–1945. Its authors range from international figures such as Churchill, Dewey and Booth to Chinese writers including Wu Hao, Luo Dingzi, Li Xuehua and Zhao Hong, giving the press a distinctive profile that balances classic translation with practical writing and emphasizes both history and the social sciences.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 作者简介
- 第一卷
- 第一章 我会想你的
- 第二章 塞纳河畔
- 第三章 海鲜酒楼
- 第四章 香港
- 第五章 你好弗兰克
- 第二卷
- 第六章 安顿下来
- 第七章 我在法国挺好的
- 第八章 慈善晚宴
- 第九章 靠山
- 第三卷
- 第十章 圣诞节前
- 第十一章 我来了
- 第十二章 有我没她
- 第十三章 深红的玫瑰
- 第四卷
- 第十四章 庞氏骗局
- 第十五章 巴黎画展
- 第十六章 远走的奶奶
- 第十七章 我这是在哪儿
- 第五卷
- 第十八章 坍塌
- 第十九章 惊弓之鸟
- 第二十章 我恨你
- 第二十一章 巴黎圣母院
- 第六卷
- 第二十二章 邻居
- 第二十三章 熄灯
- 第二十四章 法国阿让
- 第二十五章 梅子农场
- 第七卷
- 第二十六章 农工
- 第二十七章 周末午餐
- 第二十八章 移交
- 第二十九章 中国边检
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About the author
Peng Shanshan is an author about whom relatively limited information is publicly available. What can be confirmed is that she has published three works, represented by Guofa (Ways of Living), Chonglai (Starting Over), and Zhuanshen (Turning Around). Her works are commonly classified as social fiction, suggesting that her writing tends to be set against the backdrop of real society and to focus on the circumstances and choices of ordinary people. The titles alone hint at a narrative interest in life's turning points: Guofa points to the ways people get by from day to day, Chonglai implies the possibility of beginning again, and Zhuanshen concerns leaving and change. Because public information is limited, details of Peng Shanshan's life, education, and writing career remain unclear, and the available material comes mainly from the works themselves. Readers who wish to understand her writing may begin with these three social novels and consider her perspective on reality and her narrative style.
