|
|
This is a limited free preview of this book. Please buy full access.
Praise for The Great Leap Backward
“Letty Chen has done magnificent work in looking into the art and politics of remembering, and re-membering, the Maoist era—its fanatic causes, its violent episodes, and its traumatic consequences. With sources drawn from fictional and biographical narratives, she identifies ideological and affective contestations, and ponders the possibilities of inscribing the immemorial and unthinkable. Both historically engaged and theoretically provocative, Chen’s book is a timely intervention with the prevailing narrative of the Chinese Dream. The Great Leap Backward is a compelling reference for anyone interested in memory studies, Chinese and comparative literature, and cultural and political history.”
—David Der-wei Wang,
Edward C. Henderson Professor of Chinese Literature,
Harvard University
* * * * *
“A resounding call to read literature about what life was like during the Mao years as testimony, this truly first-rate book is impressive for its erudition, ingenuity, and readability. The image and memory of Mao Zedong still hold a powerful totemic sway over the Chinese populace. Wary of how the passage of time and the passing of witnesses may prompt history to accede to nostalgia with rose-tinted glasses, Letty Chen recalls and investigates situations where many fear to tread. Despite the heaviness of such subject matters as the Great Famine and the Cultural Revolution, Chen’s triangulation of personal memories, official accounts, testimonies, and theories is admirably balanced, deft, and steadyhanded. The field of modern Chinese literary studies has been waiting for a book like this. The Great Leap Backward will add an