Written as an antithesis to all first-hand and second-hand propaganda written by both Chinese and foreign writers for China in the good part of the 20th century in a fictional form, this collection, through different times and lands, gives insights into how human docile nature and characteristics are manipulated and brought about cultural and social corrosion over the century. The outcome thus sees "a monumental loss breathtakingly massive than any period that preceded it." Subsequently, it foreshadows a system that "would bring out not the best but the worst in people, against people, any people." (Event Horizon)
The first story is written as an introduction in addition to the prologue. From there, the collection proceeds with interrelated subjects or topics, building up causes and factors. At every turn, it gathers momentum and convenes halfway through the book to form the major components of critical perspectives at a juncture.
Hoarded in the depth of memories of the past decades, this has been a work long overdue.
Publisher: Historium Press
Pages: 391
Genre: Historical Fiction
"[The follower] stated that what made a club function depended not entirely on its thick end but on the shaft that formed the handle. This nation’s tasks or ideology was the main element that formed the thick end, but it would need the handle to wield that power effectively. It required bruteness, loudness, and grip to make the club applicable."
~ Ashes Of Aggravation
For years, Jiu Da has been intrigued by the question of whether the environment makes us who we are or whether we are the ones that shape our environment. For the good parts of early years, he stubbornly believed that motivation, talent, and effort could change the outcomes. It did not.
It was not until the virus hit while finding himself perching at home that he came to accept that the environment is indeed the hand that shapes human behavior.
It was during this time that he began his first work, drawing from his love in literature, history and a lifetime of seemingly useless yet fascinating knowledge hoarded in the depth of his mind.
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Thank you so much for hosting Jiu Da today, with an intriguing snippet from his fascinating story collection, The Winding Dirt Road.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club