China's best books - Time Out’s guide to the top China fiction and non-fiction books you need to rea

http://www.timeoutbeijing.com/feature/36226/The-best-Chinese-books-of-the-last-century.html

Time Out Beijing present the ultimate guide to the best Chinese books since 1900. Discover the top 20 Chinese fiction and 20 Chinese non-fiction books as voted for by 25 of China’s top literary experts including Penguin Asia's Jo Lusby, author Lynn Pan and Newsweek's Duncan Hewitt. Find out more about the rich history of China’s authors in Beijing in our guide to the city’s literary landmarks and where to find them, including Cat Country author Lao She's former residence and former Qing Dynasty literati hangout Taoranting Park. Also discover Beijing’s best bookshops, and all the information you need to make the most of the Bookworm Literary Festival in March 2015.

Comments

# 1.   

One thing you won't discover: the names of several of the translators who brought you these reputed classics, although a (lucky) handful do get a mention . . .

Bruce, March 6, 2015, 11:25p.m.

# 2.   

In addition to the erratic mentioning of translators (and it's unclear to what extent translations are even part of the consideration... Fortress Besieged comes in at no. 5, but the Kelly / Mao translation really should be redone), there's the strange criteria for what counts as "Chinese" books.

Lucas

Lucas Klein, March 7, 2015, 10:45a.m.

# 3.   

Also, at The Literary Saloon

Eric Abrahamsen, March 7, 2015, 12p.m.

# 4.   

Did anyone else notice that a majority of the books on both these two Time Out lists are published by Penguin? Or that Jo Lusby (managing director of Penguin China) was on the panel that compiled these lists? Conflict of interest much?

Jess, March 10, 2015, 12:52p.m.

# 5.   

Meanwhile, Penguin Spain has unilaterally cut translators' rates

Lucas

Lucas Klein, March 10, 2015, 2:35p.m.

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