Publisher Description

Jumping through Hoops is the first and only translation of a diverse collection of stories that shed new light on the intense drama experienced by Chinese women during World War II. These nine extraordinary narratives effectively bridge the gap between Chinese women's lives writing in English from earlier periods, and those from the post-Mao era, particularly during the Cultural Revolution. The experiential range and psychological depth within these histories, express the deeply personal struggles during the most turbulent years in twentieth-century China.

Author Biography

Jing M. Wang is an Assistant Professor of Chinese Literature and Language at Colgate University who specializes in twentieth-century Chinese women's autobiographical writings and modern Chinese literature.

Review

"Anyone interested globally in autobiography would do themselves an immense service by reading these texts. For the Western reader, whether a specialist or non-specialist of autobiography, reading these remarkable stories will be like stumbling upon an undiscovered country. These stories serve as a valuable and enormously entertaining lesson in cultural and political history. The opening pages of Bai Wei's 'Jumping Through Hoops', are as powerful as anything I have read in autobiography Dr. Patrick Riley, Colgate University This collection represents an invaluable source as to how women thought and lived their lives during the Resistance War period. Their voice not only needs to be heard by the Chinese people but also by Western audiences who are interested in both Chinese culture and women's lives during that period. Dr. Yanfang Tang, College of William and Mary Scholars and students of modern Chinese women writers will find this book an essential reference for the biographical information contained therein and the inner world of women writers it reveals. Dr. Lily Lee, University of Sydney

Review Quote

"We have seen short stories written by some of the contributors in this collection, but in contrast ... Their autobiographical writing is less sentimental, contains far more personal experiences ... And delves deeper into individual lives and psyches ...

Details