Little Solitude

木浮生 / Yao Zhu / Sha YuJiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House2014

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Word count
103K words
Chapters
9
ISBN
9787539966953

Tags

Literature Essays and Miscellany Contemporary ProseEmotional EssaysPersonal EssaysOnline OriginalRomance NovelWomen WritersUrban Women

Summary

Little Loneliness (also known as Little Loneliness: The Most Refreshing Bedtime Companion) is a collection of personal essays co-authored by nine women writers, including Mu Fusheng, Yao Zhu, and Sha Yu, and published by Jiangsu Literature and Art Publishing House in April 2014. Organized as "nine nights," the book comprises nine standalone pieces, among them "Cherish as You Go," "Love and Loneliness Are Paradoxical," "The Milk Tea Shop at the Seventh Stop," "Beijing, Beijing," "The Lamp That Won't Turn Off," and "Mr. Husky." Each chapter is written by a different author, taking turns across nine nights to recount her own experience of living with loneliness. The essays touch on love, family, and friendship, as well as career, the future, and dreams: one writer returns to childhood and her origins through an old notebook left by her father; another, sitting alone late at night, looks back on a relationship that never came to fruition; another tries to locate her drifting self in a foreign city; and another pours her thoughts into a hot drink at a milk tea shop. Most of the contributors are women accustomed to writing as an outlet—authors of romance fiction on online original-fiction platforms, as well as a radio host and newspaper reporters. Their styles vary: some delicate and gentle, some plain and brisk, and some carrying the flavor of times past. The book does not strive for dramatic plot; it is closer to a quiet late-night conversation, with words that hold hope within sorrow and tears within laughter. The cover describes it as "the most refreshing bedtime companion," signaling that it is meant to be read slowly at night.

Editor's review

这本书的讨喜之处，在于它不劝人乐观，也不劝人振作，只是承认寂寞是生活的一部分。九位女作者合著，九篇各有声口：木浮生的笔调偏甜软，姚竹带着电台主持人的叙述感，沙欤的笔下有一点旧时光的清冷，LOLO、苏一、刘采采等人又各带着不同的生活经验。以“夜晚”为序编排并非摆设：全书以第一夜到第九夜的结构，把阅读节奏调慢，睡前读一篇正好。九篇都写寂寞，却把它写得颇不相同：有的是爱而不得的失落，有的是亲情的隔膜与和解，有的是在异城漂泊的空落。这正是它比鸡汤式散文更耐读的地方。文字不故作深沉，也不追求金句密度，反而因此更像一场夜谈。若你恰好有些心事，又不愿读太硬的书，它是一份合适的陪伴；顺手也可以当作观察当代都市女性情感书写的样本。

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Reading tips

  1. 按“第一夜”到“第九夜”的顺序，每晚读一篇，节奏与书的编排相合。
  2. 不必追求读懂每个人物的前因后果，它们本来只是片段式的生活切片。
  3. 遇到触动自己的篇目，可以在页边记下当时的情绪，隔些日子回头看。
  4. 适合在夜灯下或通勤路上零散阅读，不建议为赶进度一次读完。

About the publisher

Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1958

Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House focuses on literary publishing while also covering the humanities, social sciences, and books on art and daily life. Its approximately 1,535 titles in the database span social novels, world history, design, science fiction, classic works, and film and television: they include modern Chinese literary classics by Lu Xun such as A Madman's Diary: The Complete Short Stories of Lu Xun, Call to Arms, Four Generations Under One Roof, and Teahouse, as well as foreign literary memoirs like Stefan Zweig's The World of Yesterday. In science fiction it offers Asimov's Galactic Empire series, while in architecture and art it publishes Liu Dunzhen's Classical Gardens of Suzhou and design titles from Phoenix Space. Its authors are concentrated among classic writers such as Lu Xun, Zweig, and Asimov, with translators including Liang Xijiang, Zhong Haonan, and Ye Lihua. Its overall character is built on classic works while embracing genre fiction and visual culture. Public information is limited, and this introduction is based on the titles in the database.

Contents

  1. First Night: Cherish as You Go
  2. Second Night: Love and Loneliness Are a Paradox
  3. Third Night: Alone, I Remember
  4. Fourth Night: Falling for a Virgo
  5. Fifth Night: The Milk Tea Shop at the Seventh Stop
  6. Sixth Night: Moonlight Like This
  7. Seventh Night: Beijing, Beijing
  8. Eighth Night: The Lamp That Never Goes Off
  9. Ninth Night: Mr. Husky

FAQ

《小寂寞》一共有几位作者？ 署名主要是木浮生、姚竹、沙欤三位，实际全书为九位女性作者合著，还包括LOLO、苏一、刘采采、姜萌、许晨风、莫小禾等，每人执笔一至数篇。
《小寂寞》是小说还是散文？ 它是一部散文随笔合集，收录九篇独立篇章，带有些许叙事性，但并非连贯的长篇小说。
和闻人悦阅的《小寂寞》是同一本书吗？ 不是。闻人悦阅的《小寂寞》由台湾联合文学于2013年出版，是六则短篇小说的合集；江苏文艺出版社版是九位女性作者的散文合集，两者书名相同，内容不同。
这本书适合睡前读吗？ 可以。书的副题与宣传语都强调“睡前枕边书”，九篇篇幅不长，情绪平缓，适合夜里读一两篇。

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About the author

木浮生 Author

Mu Fusheng is a relatively well-known author in the field of Chinese youth literature and romance fiction. Public information about her is limited, and no systematic account of her life has been made available. Her works are mainly modern romance, with some involvement in time-travel and alternate-world themes, and are marked by the light touch and delicate emotional portrayal common to youth literature. Eight of her works are included in the collection. Representative titles such as Liangyan Xieyi, It Turns Out I Love You So Much, World in the Dust, and Exclusive Memory have been adapted into television dramas; Liangyan Xieyi stars Luo Yunxi and Cheng Xiao, and World in the Dust stars Wu Xuanyi, Bi Wenjun, and Zhai Xiaowen, with these adaptations broadening the readership of the original novels. She has also tried ancient romance with Still Waiting for Zhaoyang and has published a collected edition of her warm-hearted works. Overall, Mu Fusheng's writing focuses on urban relationships and character growth, with a gentle style that has earned her influence among readers of youth romance.

Yao Zhu Author

Yao Zhu, whose English name is Yao Zhu, has personal details such as nationality and dates of birth and death that remain unclear in publicly available sources. Only one work by her is currently recorded: a collection of prose titled Xiao Jimo (Little Loneliness). Because public information is limited, little can be said in detail about her educational background, writing career, or literary activities; her profile can only be sketched from the existing bibliographic record. Judging from the title Xiao Jimo and its common classification, her writing falls roughly into the category of literary prose and miscellaneous essays. Her subjects tend to revolve around subtle feelings and personal moods in everyday life, and her tone is restrained and quiet, capturing moments worth savoring in solitude and ordinary experience. Such writing does not rely on grand narrative but attends to the warmth and rhythm of language, conveying observations of life in a soft voice. As far as can be seen, Yao Zhu's output is limited and her reach relatively narrow; readers know her mainly through this single work, and a fuller picture of her writing must await further materials and publications.

Sha Yu Author

Sha Yu is an author about whom limited public information is currently available; neither nationality nor dates of birth and death are clearly recorded. According to existing bibliographic information, one work by this author is held in the collection, titled Xiao Jimo (A Little Loneliness), commonly classified under literature and miscellaneous prose. This classification suggests that Sha Yu's writing tends toward short prose essays that begin from personal feelings and everyday experience, often revealing observations and reflections on life through small, subtle details. Because verifiable material is very limited, it is difficult to describe the author's writing career, other works, or outside reception with any certainty; at present, judgments about style and subject matter can only be based on this single book, and further details must await additional sources.