Sunday, July 10, 2022

1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows: A Memoir

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1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows is a memoir by Ai Weiwei of the sociopolitical changes in the 20th century in China and of his own place in the larger picture as an artist, philosopher, and activist. Released 2nd Nov 2021 by Penguin Random House on their Crown Publishing imprint, it's 400 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out in 4th quarter 2022. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately it makes it much easier to find particular text in a search. 

This is an engaging and honest memoir of the author's life, part of which he spent in exile as a child with his father, a poet of renown. The philosophy with which he was surrounded and the privation of his early life informed much of his personality and later artistic expression. The writing is intelligent and open and there are glimpses of genuine wit and humor. I enjoyed his reminiscences very much; the recollections of culture shock and confusion as a young Chinese student in America were touching and honestly told. 

The book is enhanced throughout with glimpses into his sketchbooks and drawings. They add a lot of depth to the read. The translation work is flawlessly provided by Dr. Allan Barr. It scans very well and doesn't read in the English edition as though it were translated, which is obviously the ideal.

Four and a half stars. This would be a superlative choice for public library acquisition as well as recommended for readers of memoir and biography. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.   


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