"A trenchant opus about surviving the fires of life. . .a wonderful, mulitlayered work. Marvelous."
–San Francisco Chronicle "Her prose . . . is masterly, at times nearly overwhelming in its descriptive power. . . . The world–and not just the world of literature–owes Maxine Hong Kingston a huge debt of gratitude."
– The Washington Post Book World "Gorgeous. . . . [A] work of love and power-straight from Kingston's brilliant and passionate heart-and her vision of peace is undeniable. You have to see it, too."-
Minneapolis Star-Tribune "A moving testament to Kingston's determination and compassion, and a document of how one can survive pain, loss and the burden of history."
– San Jose Mercury News
"A strange, scarred thing, pieced together from fragments, smelling of smoke and anguish. Its power lies in its pain." –
The New York Times Book Review "Rich in empathy and moral conviction. . . . Kingston is . . . an exuberant storyteller." –
The New Yorker "Astonishing. . . . Part fiction and part autobiography, revery, prophecy, and how to manual. . . . Wherever we are in this fifth book . . . Kingston is a lotus, a flowering of divine intellect, and a bodhisattva, sticking around, one birth short of nirvana, to ease our suffering." –
Harper's Magazine
"A sharp, aching account. . . . [It] captivates . . . because of the splashy urgency of its writing."-
Los Angeles Times Book Review "Kaleidoscopic . . . Mesmerizing. . . . Employing language that is a lush and vibrant lure skimming the still lake of our collective experience as Americans who have attended far too many wars in far too few years, Kingston reels in the big questions . . . and displays them with both authority and care.
The Fifth Book of Peace is a big book, chock full of real, not self, importance." –
The Baltimore Sun "Powerful. . . . Kingston's elegant arc from the person to the global constitutes a profound act of humility and compassion." –
Pittsburg Post-Gazette
"I loved it-I couldn't stop reading it. Maxine Hong Kingston is one of our best writers.
The Fifth Book of Peace has the generosity of spirit and the luminous prose we so urgently need in this time of war after war." –Leslie Marmon Silko
"A passionate plea that draws on U.S. history and Buddhist wisdom to argue for an all-inclusive and peaceful world."-
People Magazine "Moving. . . . A richly various extended meditation on peace. . . . The lesson embodied in
The Fifth Book of Peace could not be more timely." –
Boston Globe
"An amazing testament to the existence of peace, even in the midst of war. The book is a communal effort, beautifully orchestrated by Hong Kingston and pieced together with open eyes. She doesn't romanticize, doesn't ignore the failures of past peace movements, but bravely searches for new possibilities."
–Rocky Mountain News
"Beautifully rendered. . . . Intelligent and poetic. . . . Kingston gives readers entr?e into something powerful."
–Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
"Dense, complex, urgent. . . . Kingston is interested here in the process of telling stories to come to a happy ending." –
Newsday
"Immediately striking about
The Fifth Book of Peace is the uncanniness with which it nails the anxiety of this nation. . . . Kingston's stories and practices-and particularly her characters, both real and imagined-have a refreshing authenticity." –
The Oregonian
"Intense, often moving. . . . [Kingston] lays down layers of meaning, deftly weaving symbolism and imagery." –
The Miami Herald
"An arresting tour de force. . . . This is surely a better book than the one [Kingston] lost." –
Fort Worth Star-Telegram "[An] uncompromising examination of the meanings of peace. . . . Secrets and truths that lesser writers would take to their graves, [Kingston] delivers with startling openness. . . . She has gathered a community of the lost, the disempowered, the people who never get to write alternative histories, and gifted them the fierce power of her voice." –
The San Diego Union-Tribune
"Her recounting of the fire is astonishing. She has a poet's eye for description. . . . Kingston has . . . create[d] something good out of painful memories." –
Austin American-Statesman
"Powerful. . . . Thoughtful and passionate." –
Entertainment Weekly
"Gripping. . . . [Filled] with bracing honesty. . . . Kingston has written a moving, urgent book that discounts facile notions of peace as a passive state." –
Charleston Post & Courier
"Satisfying. . . . Surreal, vivid detail."-
Columbus Dispatch "Brilliantly imaginative. . . . Fine writing and intriguing stories. . . . As always, Kingston is a superb stylist." –
The Sunday Star-Ledger
