Dai Sijie
Dai Sijie is a Chinese-born author and filmmaker who emigrated to France in 1984. He is best known for his novel 'Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress', which was published in 2000 and has been translated into several languages. The book, which draws on his own experiences during the Cultural Revolution in China, was also adapted into a film that Dai himself directed. His work often explores themes of cultural clash and the transformative power of literature.
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. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
This novel tells the story of two teenage boys sent to a remote mountain village for re-education during China's Cultural Revolution. There, they meet a local tailor's daughter, who becomes their friend and the object of their shared affection. The boys discover a hidden suitcase filled with forbidden Western classics in Chinese translation, and their lives are forever changed. The books not only awaken their passion for literature, but also allow them to educate the Seamstress, ultimately leading to a heartbreaking love triangle and a tale of personal freedom against the odds.
