Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

by Dai Sijie

Read this book about a month ago and realized I hadn't put it up yet. It was a quick read, but somehow, it hadn't made it to anywhere I had an Internet connection until now. I found it at the used bookstore, and I liked it. But beware, the backcover talks about flirting with the little Chinese seamstress, and there was definitely more than flirting going on. Or maybe naked swimming counts as flirting now, and I was just unaware. Ah well, kids today.

Actually, it was kids in the Cultural Revolution in China. A love story, and a tale of coping with oppression. And not having anything to read (when the government bans Western Literature, and most of your national literature). It makes me sad to hear about love triangles from the third wheel perspective, though. But it was a good book, and I think I'd recommend it. Definitely an interesting perspective on what it means to be "re-educated".

Incidentally, don't at least half the population have second toes that are longer than their big toes?

'"Have you fallen in love with her?' I persisted.
'She's not civilised, at least not enough for me!'"

"'She said she had learnt one thing from Balzac: that a woman's beauty is a treasure beyond price.'"