2015-1-5 前一阶段看的一本英文小说，是旅美作家陈达（DaChen）写的《兄弟手足》（Brothers）。 故事的情节是引人入胜的，至少可以让人看得下去。其中的亮点是描述了上世纪七十年代中期和八十年代末期的那两次历史事件，当时的国家领导人是虚构的，名字叫Heng Tu，望文生义，一下子就让人想到是谁（Ｘ屠）。Heng Tu于1976年上台，1998年去世，在毛主席之后，统治了中国22年。关于作者本人，陈达的个人传记如是说: Da Chen grew up in the deep south of China, running barefoot in muddy fields and riding the backs of water buffaloes. In his tiny Fujian village, water was fetched from an ancient well swimming with snakes, and the only lights that burned in most households were hissing kerosene lanterns. As the grandson of a disgraced landowner, he was a victim of communist political persecution and hollowing poverty during the Cultural Revolution. His family was beaten, his father thrown in reform camp, and young Chen, at the age of nine, was threatened with imprisonment. Unfailing family love helped him survive in a dysfunctional society and he found unexpected love and friendship with four other hoodlum outcasts, but dreams made him soar above the poverty and persecution. His first encounter with a Christian woman, a Baptist professor, was life changing. She taught him English and opened the possibility of another world. He excelled in college at Beijing Languages and Culture University, and stayed on as a professor of English after graduating top in his class. Da arrived in America at the age of 23 with $30 in his pocket, a bamboo flute, and a heart filled with hope. He attended Columbia University School of Law on a full scholarship, and upon graduating, worked for the Wall Street investment banking firm of Rothschilds, Inc。 二十三岁在北京外国语学院破格当英语教授， 30美元闯荡美利坚， 哥伦比亚大学法学院全额奖学金，在华尔街投资银行供职，英文畅销书作家，又一个神童和成功人士，就横空出世了。
2014-4-14 偶然的机会看到几本英文小说，都是介绍上世纪三四十年代中国生活的。一本是德国女作家Alice Ekert-Rotholz（1900-1995）于1958年出版的处女作《The Time ofTheDragons》。介绍的是1925-1955年时期一个挪威外交官眼中战时的上海，文字很优美。可惜的是艾丽丝本人并没有在中国生活过，她有关中国、日本和印度的生活经验来自泰国。其中的一个读者评价说： Deceptive title, as it is not a fantasy book, but a novel that follows four central characters, each from a different culture. It comes highly recommended, by an amazing stroke of luck I found an antique copy in an Edinburgh shop and I can't wait to read it. 第二本是著名的美国记者、中国人民的老朋友白修德 （ Theodore Harold White， 1915-1986）先生于1978年写的个人回忆录《探索历史》（In Search of History: A Personal Adventure） 。白修德是费正清的得意门生，在抗日战争期间因为首先真实地报道了不为人知的河南的大饥荒而永垂青史，也因为反对蒋介石、同情共产党和史迪威将军而吃进了苦头，不过战后因为适时报道美国总统选举而名声大噪，当尼克松访华时，白修德又因为曾经采访过战时的延安，而大出风头。 第三本是长期驻中国的洛杉矶时报前香港分社社长 Robert Sampson Elegant （1928-）于1977年发表的畅销书《王朝》（Dynasty）。作者是军事情报专业毕业，以新闻周刊和洛杉矶时报战地记者的身份采访过韩战和越战，又精通汉语。这本小说以香港为背景，介绍了从义和团运动到文化大革命期间，一个杂种的金融寡头的三个儿子的三种命运，一个跟了蒋介石，一个跟了共产党，一个到了香港，颇富戏剧性。结果这本小说一炮打响，给年近半百的罗伯特带来丰厚的回报，也使他关于中国题材的小说越发不可收拾，成为至今仍然建在的美国数一数二的中国问题专家。 尤其可贵的是，这三本书，都是第一版。
标签: 英文小说
