He earned the phd and went on to become a poet, writer, and professor. The bridegroom considers the difficult transitions with which chinese. Ha jin the bridegroom described as utopian in nature, the chinese culture is often in pursuit for the perfect individual, a harmonious and structured society where the citizens as a whole create the ideal culture. The bridegroom 2000 is a short story collection by ha jin. From the remarkable ha jin, winner of the national book award for his celebrated novel waiting, a collection of comical. Read the bridegroom stories by ha jin available from rakuten kobo. The bridegroom is a collection of twelve short stories by chineseamerican author ha jin. His notable novels included waiting 2000 and war trash 2004.
In the title story, the head of security at a factory is shocked, first when the handsomest worker on the floor proposes marriage to his homely. In a collection of short stories entitled the bridegroom, author ha jin documents. From the remarkable ha jin, winner of the national book award for his celebrated novel waiting, a collection of comical and deeply moving tales of contemporary china that are as warm and human as they are surprising, disturbing, and delightful. Both writings share the themes of identity, injustice, prejudices, and the need of change. Author ha jins structure is clear and simple, but he says so much in these sentences readers may find themselves reevaluating their own style. The stories are set in muji city in contemporary china, the same provincial city that served as the setting for his novel waiting. The bridegroom by ha jin, 9780375724930, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Stories by jin, ha and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the bridegroom. Ha jin left his native china in 1985 to attend brandeis university. A melancholy young gay man marries a widower, and becomes intrigued by the idea of his dead predecessor. In the bridegroom, the twelve stories capture a china in transition, moving from maoism towards a more open society. Reading guide for the bridegroom by ha jin discussion guide for book clubs.
Twelve short stories about daily life in modern china, penned by national book award winner for waiting. From the national book awardwinning author of waiting, a new collection of short fiction that confirms ha jins reputation as a master storyteller. Stories was first published by pantheon books in 2000. From the remarkable ha jin, winner of the national book award for his celebrated novel waiting, a collection of comical and deeply moving tales of. In the bridegroom jin employs the same spare, elegant style to great success three of the twelve stories in this collection were selected for best american short stories. Discussion of themes and motifs in ha jins the bridegroom.
The stories touch on themes involving chinese social life, the intersection of chinese and american cultural and economic customs, and authority and the individual. After winning both the 1999 national book award and the 2000 penfaulkner award for fiction for his last book, waiting, ha jin returns with a collection of 12 stories encompassing very personal dramas involving chinese citizens in contemporary china. National book award winner ha jin writes about the tribulations of life in chinese society with dark humor and an economical but effective prose style. Tigerfighter meets cowboy chicken the new york times. This new collection of short stories by the awardwinning author of waiting confirms ha jin s reputation as a master storyteller, as well as a master of the miniature. He has turned out remarkable novels, short stories, and poetry all the more remarkable considering he only began writing in english in the late 1980s. Stories from the remarkable ha jin, winner of the national book award for his celebrated novel waiting, a collection of comical and deeply moving tales of contemporary. Its difficult to think of another writer who has captured the conflicting attitudes and desires, and the stillchanging conditions of daily life, of postcultural revolution china as well as ha jin d. Author ha jin s structure is clear and simple, but he says so much in these sentences readers may find themselves reevaluating their own style. From the national book awardwinning author of waiting, a new collection of short fiction that confirms ha jins reputation as a master. A collection of short stories, brilliantly exploring the lives of ordinary chinese, as their constricted society begins to open up to the west, from the author of waiting, confirming ha jins reputation as a master storyteller.
The national book awardwinning author of waiting is in fine form with new tales of ordinary chinese angling for. In the title story, the head of security at a factory is shocked, first when the hansomest worker on the floor proposes marriage. A year ago, few were aware of the spare, resonant fiction of ha. This new collection of short stories by the awardwinning author of waiting confirms ha jins reputation as a master storyteller, as well as a master of the miniature. Waiting, a novel which racked up numerous awards for him, including the 1999 national book award and the bridegroom, a collection of short stories, released in. Born in mainland china, ha jin came to the united states 1985 to pursue a phd in english at brandeis university. By turns comical and deeply moving, the stories in the bridegroom by the remarkable ha jin, winner of the national book award and the penfaulkner award for his celebrated novel waiting present a portrait of contemporary china spiked with elements that surprise, disturb, and. Ha jin 4 book set sale under the red flag war trash. Fifteen years after arriving in the united states, ha jin found himself under the american literary spotlight when his second novel, waiting, became the first to receive both the national book award and the penfaulkner award. The collection could be read as a companion title to waiting, as ha jin returns to the same muji city with another cast of notunfamiliar characters, including a young woman coming back from the states, a college professor, factory workers, bureacrats the various haves and the have. Reading guide for the bridegroom by ha jin bookbrowse. Ha jin has triumphed again with his unforgettable storytelling in the bridegroom. In the title story, the head of security at a factory is shocked. In the title story, the head of security at a factory is shocked, first when the hansomest worker on the floor proposes marriage to his homely adopted.
Homosexuality in ha jins the bridegroom essay 918 words. Parables for our timeswith a hint of the reckless and the absurd that we have come to expect from ha jin the bridegroom offers tales both mischievous and wise. The bridegroom by ha jin the national book awardwinning author of waiting is in fine form with new tales of ordinary chinese angling for love, sex and party favors. China that was the setting of his national book awardwinning novel waiting. The bridegroom is ha jins third short story collection, and first following the success of his 1999 novel, waiting. Its the little things that kill us, as that master of the miniature ha jin well knows. Tone is the attitude of the author toward his subject topic. Ha jin has 37 books on goodreads with 80374 ratings. He is the author of the internationally bestselling novel waiting, which won the penfaulkner award and the national book award, and war trash, which won the penfaulkner award for fiction, and was a finalist for the pulitzer prize and the kiriyama pacific rim book prize. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read.
Bridegroom a subtle, seductive collection of stories from ha jin the bridegroom by ha jin pantheon short stories 225 pages. Ha jin, chinese american writer who used plain, unadorned english prose to explore the tension between the individual and the family, the modern and the traditional, and personal feelings and duty. Waiting, ha jins resonant second novel, won both the national book award and the penfaulkner. His two most recent books are published by pantheon. In after cowboy chicken came to town, the workers at an americanstyle fast food franchise receive a hilarious crash course in marketing, deep frying, and that frustrating capitalist dictum, the customer is always right.
From the remarkable ha jin, winner of the national book award for his celebrated novel waiting, comes this collection of comical and deeply moving tales of contemporary china that are as warm and human as they are surprising, disturbing, and delightful. The bridegroom is ha jin s third short story collection, and first following the success of his 1999 novel, waiting. Author ha jin has a chaotic schedule not only does he teach a full course load at emory in atlanta, but he is also often scheduled for a number of readings across the country. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The bridegroom is a series of 12 stories taking place in and around chinas muji city. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. They didnt know the police were after them, so they had come to town without any suspicion. When shy, reticent elias gets married to a dynamic older man, he hopes to say goodbye to his melancholy former life and make the most of their modern civil partnership. Books by ha jin share book recommendations with your. Representing experience of the chinese people within and out of china, kingston and jins literary works critically examine the society and political powers governing it. Read free book excerpt from the bridegroom by ha jin, page 1 of 8.
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