Seven Contemporary Chinese Women Writers (1982)

edited by Gladys Yang

This collection of short stories presents an interesting picture of life in the China of about 40 years ago. The stories are mostly concerned with the legacy of Mao's Cultural Revolution, so readers interested in the tension between tradition and the country's then-new-fangled hybrid of state-controlled capitalism might want to look elsewhere. Cultural interest aside, I found some of the stories a bit too sentimental, almost maudlin at times. Nevertheless, it held my interest and it provides that most valuable service of translated literature: it shows us that people in all cultures are more alike than unlike. Unfortunately, the people who really need to learn that lesson will never pick up a book like this.