The Good Women of China : Hidden Voices
9 journalers for this copy...
Registered for the several people on the BCUK group who are reading their way through the alphabet. :)
Namely:
beebarf
GlasgowGal
MoJeDenUK
Winterson
dododumpling
Tehuti
tiggsybabes
cloggy (Added March 2006)
Back to me, cos I want to keep it.
Any questions, don't hesitate to PM me.
Also, don't get too stressed about sending it on in record time, especially if you have lots of other ring and ray books to read.
Namely:
beebarf
GlasgowGal
MoJeDenUK
Winterson
dododumpling
Tehuti
tiggsybabes
cloggy (Added March 2006)
Back to me, cos I want to keep it.
Any questions, don't hesitate to PM me.
Also, don't get too stressed about sending it on in record time, especially if you have lots of other ring and ray books to read.
This was amazing. I didn't think it would be all that special, but actually it blew my socks off. I don't know much about China, and so this was a real eye-opener.
The true stories of the women who contact Xinran read like fiction, and they are as gripping as real life should be. But they are more than stories, they are sometimes deeply unsettling tales that you don't want to believe could have really happened.
Absolutely fantastic, highly recommended. I'm glad I bought this on a whim in the WH Smith sale now!
The true stories of the women who contact Xinran read like fiction, and they are as gripping as real life should be. But they are more than stories, they are sometimes deeply unsettling tales that you don't want to believe could have really happened.
Absolutely fantastic, highly recommended. I'm glad I bought this on a whim in the WH Smith sale now!
I'm sending this to Beebarf with her bookcrossing supply order. :) Mwahahaha..
I can't call Katie evil, because this is a book I've been dying to read since I heard some of the stories on Radio 4 ... but that cackle is definitely not all sweetness and light! :o)
Will be on hold for a little while, but once this month is over, I will be devouring books!
Will be on hold for a little while, but once this month is over, I will be devouring books!
I'm rapidly working my way down my back log of rings and rays, so started this last night.
It's gripping reading, if a little unsettling - having read the second story, I'm now wondering about the status of many of the "assistants" that I deal with with our Chinese suppliers at work.
It's gripping reading, if a little unsettling - having read the second story, I'm now wondering about the status of many of the "assistants" that I deal with with our Chinese suppliers at work.
Journal Entry 6 by beeofgoodcheer from Stowmarket, Suffolk United Kingdom on Saturday, June 18, 2005
Very interesting, and not a little depressing because I know that - despite opening up to trade with the West - there will still be more women in China who are the hidden voices than the liberated, Westernised women I get to speak to in the course of my work.
I know world poverty is high on the international agenda at the moment but that tends to be the visible poverty of Africa, and not the hidden poverty of China (and other repressive regimes)
Shall step away from my soap box now.
I will pass this book to GlasgowGal at Unconvention.
I know world poverty is high on the international agenda at the moment but that tends to be the visible poverty of Africa, and not the hidden poverty of China (and other repressive regimes)
Shall step away from my soap box now.
I will pass this book to GlasgowGal at Unconvention.
Received at the Unconvention. I also took possession of another couple of rings and rays yesterday, but I'll get to this very soon and get the book moving again!
:-)
:-)
I found this a very thought-provoking book to read. I enjoyed reading it, but can't say I always enjoyed the subject matter. To get the most out of this book I feel you have to have a good knowledge of Chinese history as in some places Xinran assumes the reader knows the historical context of circumstance.
Despite being (IMO) a tad on the long side, this is definitely a very thought-provoking book which will stay with me for a long time.
Will be off to MoJeDenUK tomorrow.
Despite being (IMO) a tad on the long side, this is definitely a very thought-provoking book which will stay with me for a long time.
Will be off to MoJeDenUK tomorrow.
Released 18 yrs ago (7/8/2005 UTC) at
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
08.07.05 - Sent to MoJeDenUK
08.07.05 - Sent to MoJeDenUK
Received in the post today thanks. This sounds like it will be an extraordinary read and I look forward to starting it very shortly.
Thank goodness I grew up in a Western society and did not suffer the awful things these poor women of China had to endure, and in some regions probably still do. The time of the Cultural Revolution was also a precarious time for many chinese people especially if you had the misfortune to be well educated or wealthy! Some of the described events really did make me squirm.
The author now lives in London. I wonder if she would still be welcome back in China where she was once a famous Radio Presenter?
The author now lives in London. I wonder if she would still be welcome back in China where she was once a famous Radio Presenter?
Posted off today to Winterson.
Journal Entry 13 by Winterson from Peacehaven , East Sussex United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 7, 2005
How bad am I!!! Not only haven't I journalled to say the book was here, but it's already late and I haven't read it! My excuse is house-moving-no-internet-connection related. .
Will send this on asap and hang my head in shame for the rest of the day.
Will send this on asap and hang my head in shame for the rest of the day.
Journal Entry 14 by dododumpling from St. Neots, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Friday, September 16, 2005
Arrived today. Thanks. :)
Journal Entry 15 by dododumpling from St. Neots, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Monday, September 26, 2005
I don't think I can say it any better than MoJeDenUK's journal entry:
Thank goodness I grew up in a Western society and did not suffer the awful things these poor women of China had to endure, and in some regions probably still do.
Very thought-provoking and moving, even distressing. Thanks for the chance to read it.
27 September 2005: Sent to Tehuti today.
Thank goodness I grew up in a Western society and did not suffer the awful things these poor women of China had to endure, and in some regions probably still do.
Very thought-provoking and moving, even distressing. Thanks for the chance to read it.
27 September 2005: Sent to Tehuti today.
Received today. I have a couple of rings to deal with first, but hope I won't hold things up for too long.
I found this book harrowing and at times barely believable, especially the story of the girl who kept a fly as a pet. I hope that there has been and will be an improvement in the situation of the hidden women of China, but am not overly optimistic.
Ooops, forgot to journal that I sent this to tiggsybabes by second class post on January 9th.
Journal Entry 19 by tiggsybabes from Pontefract, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Monday, January 16, 2006
Cheers, rec'd a few days ago & will read when I've finished my existing books (The Amber Spyglass & The House of Mirth) I like to have at least 2 books on the go so I can read heavier or lighter depending on my mood.
Journal Entry 20 by tiggsybabes from Pontefract, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, April 26, 2006
A very moving book, that has taken me a month or so to read as I had to keep putting it down & reading some fluff as I found it preyed on my mind. I think the last story moved me the most & I keep picturing The Women of Shuting Hill & the little girls waiting for their Clothes Day, especially as my 2 little girls have enough clothes each to clothe an entire nursery class.
I shall look out for my own copy as I'd like to re-read it at a later date.
Will PM cloggy for her address.
I shall look out for my own copy as I'd like to re-read it at a later date.
Will PM cloggy for her address.
Released 18 yrs ago (4/26/2006 UTC) at
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Posting off to cloggy, enjoy :)
Posting off to cloggy, enjoy :)
Journal Entry 22 by cloggy from -- Somewhere in London 🤷‍♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Friday, May 5, 2006
Book arrived at my desk this morning, in an envelope full of cheerful glitter. Luckily I had a little hint of this, by the amount of glitter that came out before I even opened it :-) My office will look festive for the entire day - until the office cleaners come in tonight.
Thanks Tiggsybabes & Kangaroo for sharing. There are a few bookring books ahead of this one, but I should get to it soon.
Thanks Tiggsybabes & Kangaroo for sharing. There are a few bookring books ahead of this one, but I should get to it soon.
Journal Entry 23 by cloggy from -- Somewhere in London 🤷‍♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Monday, May 8, 2006
As soon as the book arrived with me, it demanded to be read. It didn't matter that I was halfway in another book, and really should have finished the other two bookring books arrived the day before first. I got it on Friday morning and had finished it Friday evening. The stories are so sad, mostly because they are true.
In the beginning I wised that Xinran would just tell the women's stories without commenting on them, as I found her narrative voice quite judgemental, especially in the story about the University student. But as I got further in the book, I realised just how much her own story is part of the tapestry of women's voices.
Truly wonderful, I hope she will share more tales of China with us at a later stage. Thanks kangaroo for sharing.
In the beginning I wised that Xinran would just tell the women's stories without commenting on them, as I found her narrative voice quite judgemental, especially in the story about the University student. But as I got further in the book, I realised just how much her own story is part of the tapestry of women's voices.
Truly wonderful, I hope she will share more tales of China with us at a later stage. Thanks kangaroo for sharing.
Safely home again; glad everybody enjoyed it!
