by Te-Ping Chen, Book 9, 2021
“He’d seen the village transform itself over a lifetime, just as he, too, was going to transform himself with an invention the likes of which his neighbors had never seen.”
Te-Ping Chen, Land of Big Numbers
This collection, Land of Big Numbers by Te-Ping Chen was fantastic. It tells several unrelated stories of several Chinese people, and/or in a few cases is set in China. The styles and themes as widely as one might expect from such an expansive topic and I’d imagine most people would find at least a few of these stories entertaining. My two favorites were “New Fruit” and “Gubeiko Spirit”. I’m a big fan of anything with magical realism and I was pleasantly surprised by the stories that integrated a dash of the unreal. As a bonus: I learned a lot about contemporary Chinese culture (I’m embarrassed to know so little).
Recommended for: Any adult or older teenager, this collection is very readable and thought provoking. Could make a great choice for a book club.
Actions I will take in response to this book
- Learn more about China in general, these stories really peaked my curiosity
- Give more short stories a chance
Content Warnings: Incarceration, Death, Violence, Suicide