Details

ISBN-10: 0140443711
ISBN-13: 9780140443714
Publisher: Penguin Group
Publish Date: 12/16/1982
Dimensions: 7.87" L, 5.08" W, 1.00" H

The Story of the Stone, Volume IV: The Debt of Tears, Chapters 81-98 (Revised)

Translator: John Minford
Preface by: John Minford

Paperback

Price: $19.00

Overview

The Story of the Stone (c. 1760), also known by the title of The Dream of the Red Chamber, is the great novel of manners in Chinese literature.

Divided into five volumes, of which The Debt of Tears is the fourth, The Story of the Stone charts the glory and decline of the illustrious Jia family (a story which closely accords with the fortunes of the author’s own family). The two main characters, Bao-yu and Dai-yu, are set against a rich tapestry of humour, realistic detail and delicate poetry, which accurately reflects the ritualized hurly-burly of Chinese family life. But over and above the novel hangs the constant reminder that there is another plane of existence – a theme which affirms the Buddhist belief in a supernatural scheme of things.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

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Reviews
"Filled with classical allusions, multilayered wordplay, and delightful poetry, Cao's novel is a testament to what Chinese literature was capable of. Readers of English are fortunate to have David Hawkes and John Minford's The Story of the Stone, which distills a lifetime of scholarship and reading into what is probably the finest work of Chinese-to-English literary translation yet produced. You will be rewarded every bit of attention you give it, many times over." –SupChina, "The 100 China Books You Have to Read, Ranked" (#1)
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Details

ISBN-10: 0140443711
ISBN-13: 9780140443714
Publisher: Penguin Group
Publish Date: 12/16/1982
Dimensions: 7.87" L, 5.08" W, 1.00" H
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