The 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature has been awarded to Mo Yan, a Chinese author whose works have often been compared to magical realists such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Günter Grass. The novel “The Garlic Ballads“ has been described as the best book of his to start with. One of his shorter novels, it may not be as well-known as some of his other works, but it is definitely a great introduction to the Chinese author, and not only because it is only $4 on Amazon for the Kindle.

The book describes life in a peasant village where farmers are told by the government to plant only one crop: garlic. When those same officials refuse to purchase the crop one year, the townspeople resort to violence, which brings down the hammer of law enforcement. The farmers are rounded up and put in jail, where they find themselves trapped in Kafakesque situations. The police at times seem almost human, but in the end they are as distant as the government that oppresses the people. Traditional Chinese marriages are also examined in the book, with one of the larger sub-plots concerning two hapless garlic farmers falling in love and trying to find happiness in spite of the ongoing garlic crisis.

As already mentioned, Yan has garnered many comparisons to magical realists, but another apt comparison would be to Chuck Palahniuk, of Fight Club fame. Both authors use shocking content (whether it be peeing into a waiting customer’s soup or playing a game that involves drinking one’s own urine) that simultaneously revolt and engage readers. The narrative hops from person to person and back and forth in time, which rarely leads to confusion. Instead, it enhances the book by allowing the reader to see events from multiple perspectives. The result is a page-turner that even the most casual of readers can enjoy. The prose, even in translation, is still a wonder:

“The noonday sun beat down fiercely; dusty air carried the stink of rotting garlic after a prolonged dry spell. A flock of indigo crows flew wearily across the sky, casting a shadowy wedge.”

 Interestingly, this book was once banned in China for its portrayal of farmer’s lives, and was brought back into circulation only after the writer achieved fame. Mo Yan, who  has been criticized for failing to criticizing the Chinese government, and for refusing to associate with dissident writers, is not someone you would expect to write such a work. As harsh in its message as “The Grapes of Wrath,” the book is sure to silence any who do not think the Nobel winner is as critical as he should be.

The Nobel Prize in Literature has been under fire recently for choosing little-known and lightweight authors over living legends, but this book alone proves that Yan not only deserved the award, but also the money the prestigious prize brings in. He is not a writer to be taken lightly.

Image Courtesy : Johannes Kolfhaus, Gymn. Marienthal ([1]) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The article Book Review: The Garlic Ballads by Mo Yan appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Penguin Group USA announced recently the release of its Holiday eSampler featuring excerpts from over 40 frontlist, backlist, and upcoming titles. Available for free wherever eBooks are sold, this collection provides readers with the opportunity to browse sample chapters of a variety of adult and young adult books across genres: from bestselling thrillers and critically-acclaimed literary fiction to award-winning nonfiction and classic literature. Each title can be purchased or preordered directly from the eSampler via customized “Buy” links for each eReader.

Matthew Boyd, Publishing Manager at Penguin Group said: “The Penguin Holiday eSampler is a great way to discover your next favorite book and find out what your family and friends really want this holiday season. Books always make the best gifts, whether you’re buying for others or for yourself, and with the Penguin Holiday eSampler, you’re just a few clicks away from some of the best fiction, nonfiction, and young adult books we have to offer.”

Inspired by Charles Dickens, the sampler is divided into “books past, present, and future.” The Past section features both classic and recent books that have become reader favorites. The Present section includes bestselling and award-winning novels and nonfiction from 2011, and finally, the Future section showcases upcoming books that will be published just after the New Year in January that readers can preorder. The full list of titles is below.

The 2011 Holiday eSampler collection:

Past:

• City of Thieves by David Benioff
• Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
• Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
• Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan
• Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
• Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
• The Magicians by Lev Grossman
• At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon
• The Reason for God by Tim Keller
• On the Road by Jack Kerouac
• The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
• Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
• Drive by Daniel Pink
• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
• The Help by Kathryn Stockett
• This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

Present:

• The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
• Washington by Ron Chernow
• The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
• Locked On by Tom Clancy
• Shelter by Harlan Coben
• Matched by Ally Condie
• Red Mist by Patricia Cornwell
• Prince of Ravenscar by Catherine Coulter
• Devil’s Gate by Clive Cussler
• The Ideal Man by Julie Garwood
• V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton
• Theodore Boone #1 by John Grisham
• A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
• The New New Rules by Bill Maher
• Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
• The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker
• The Next Always by Nora Roberts
• Shock Wave by John Sandford
• Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
• The Quest by Daniel Yergin

Future:

• Lunatics by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel
• More Room in a Broken Heart by Stephen Davis
• Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
• Down the Darkest Road by Tami Hoag
• Breakdown by Sara Paretsky

The article Penguin Group USA Launches 40 Excerpts in Holiday eSampler appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.