Ha Jin
Ha Jin is a contemporary Chinese-American novelist, poet, short story writer, and professor. His work often focuses on Chinese culture, identity, and the immigrant experience in America. He is best known for his novel 'Waiting', which won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1999. Born in China, Ha Jin moved to the United States after the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. He writes predominantly in English and has received numerous literary accolades for his work.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. Waiting
"Waiting" is a story set in China during the Cultural Revolution and its aftermath, revolving around the life of Lin Kong, a military doctor who is torn between his love for two women. He is stuck in an arranged marriage with his traditional wife in the countryside, while he falls in love with a modern, city nurse. The novel explores his 18-year struggle to divorce his wife and marry his lover, depicting the clash between traditional and modern Chinese culture, personal desires, and societal expectations.
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2. War Trash
The novel is a fictional memoir of a Chinese soldier who is captured during the Korean War and spends several years in American POW camps. He struggles to survive in the brutal conditions and navigate the political rivalries among the prisoners, while holding onto the hope of repatriation and the fear of being labeled a traitor by his own country. The narrative explores themes of loyalty, survival, and the human cost of war.
