"Presents the life and times of one of China's foremost men of letters with a richness of detail and liveliness of style that significantly extends our knowledge and appreciation of Hsiao Ch'ien as journalist, novelist, and translator. At the same time, the work deepens our understanding of the dilemmas facing China's intellectuals during much of the twentieth century. Hsiao writes with grace and eloquence, leavening his serious tone with a pungent wit, and Jeffrey C. Kinkley has translated Hsiao with remarkable skill and sensitivity."—Carolyn Wakeman, University of California, Berkeley