English

A captivating coming-of-age novel in the tradition of Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress.

The Washington Post - Carolyn See

I loved this book and can't stop talking about it. But it's wrenching and merciless and, though fictional, rooted in historical truth and based on the life of its author…It's an incredible example of human resilience that Wang managed to survive and write this transcendent book.

Wang Gang based English on his experiences growing up in western China. An acclaimed novelist and screenwriter, he now lives in Beijing.
Martin Merz, a native speaker of English, holds a master's degree in applied translation from the Open University of Hong Kong.
Jane Weizhen Pan, a native speaker of Chinese, is a professional translator as well as an interpreter in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English.