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Good Women of China: Hidden Voices
Good Women of China: Hidden Voices | Xinran
When Deng Xiaoping s efforts to open up China took root in the late 1980s, Xinran recognized an invaluable opportunity. As an employee for the state radio system, she had long wanted to help improve the lives of Chinese women. But when she was given clearance to host a radio call-in show, she barely anticipated the enthusiasm it would quickly generate. Operating within the constraints imposed by government censors, Words on the Night Breeze sparked a tremendous outpouring, and the hours of tape on her answering machines were soon filled every night. Whether angry or muted, posing questions or simply relating experiences, these anonymous women bore witness to decades of civil strife, and of halting attempts at self-understanding in a painfully restrictive society. In this collection, by turns heartrending and inspiring, Xinran brings us the stories that affected her most, and offers a graphically detailed, altogether unprecedented work of oral history."
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Martta
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Started reading this. It's been awhile since I've read any non-fiction about China and now it felt like a perfect time. This book has true life stories from women of China collected by Xinran.

Suet624 I already have this stacked apparently. I want to find it. 2mo
Martta @Suet624 I'm not too far along with this one but this feels like a quite difficult read because the women's stories are so dark. I think it is worth the read though. Feels quite close to Jean Sasson style of writing. 2mo
Suet624 👍🏻👍🏻 2mo
20 likes3 comments
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Susanita
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📘X (Sue Grafton)
🖊️Xinran (the only one on my list)
🎥X-Men: First Class
🎤Chitaozinho & Xororo 🇧🇷
🎶X Files Theme
#manicmonday #letterX

Leftcoastzen Love x files theme! 1y
31 likes1 comment
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Bookwomble
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“The chicken in the coop has grain but the soup pot is near; the wild crane has none but its world is vast.”

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Bookwomble
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“When you walk into your memories, you are opening a door to the past; the road within has many branches, and the route is different every time.”

TrishB A tough read! 2y
Bookwomble @TrishB So I believe. I really need to give myself something a bit fluffy soon 🐇 2y
21 likes2 comments
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GondorGirl
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'X' is the last letter I needed for the #AlphabetSoup author challenge. On the suggestion of a friend I downloaded this nonfiction book by Xinran, a Chinese journalist, who ran a radio show segment about Chinese women's lives. Over the years she recieved hundreds of letters that showed a glimpse behind the closely guarded veil.

I'm only 25% into the book and it's already gutted me. It's beautiful and tragic and absolutely brutal.

Crazeedi Wow, this sounds fascinating and heart rending 2y
36 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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TrishB
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Pickpick

Who‘d be a bloody woman.
Heart breaking stories 💔💔

BarbaraBB Oh this sounds good. And harsh. 4y
TrishB @BarbaraBB it is definitely both those things! 4y
98 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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Maria514626
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I really want this cozy reading day to last other day. 🙂
I chose this book because I needed one that has a title or author that starts with X--to wrap up a 2019 A to Z challenge (from @BookishMarginalia, I believe.) This isn't my usual fare so I took a chance and I'm so happy I did. I overuse ”illuminating” but this book is. These are incredible stories. And of only a FEW Chinese women.

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llwheeler
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Dropped off one book, picked up one book. #littlefreelibrary

Just making sure I have balance in my life.

brilliantglow This has been on my tbr for a while! Looking forward to what you think of it 5y
llwheeler @brilliantglow Same! I've read one other by Xinran that was good, so I'm expecting to enjoy this too 5y
brilliantglow Oh thank you! I haven't heard of this one I'll have to check it out! 5y
40 likes3 comments
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rhymeswithvoice
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Pickpick

A devastating and moving book about the experiences and power of women.

rather_be_reading welcome to litsy 📚☕📚 @LitsyWelcomeWagon 5y
LitsyWelcomeWagon Welcome to Litsy! Here are links to #Litsytips: http://bit.ly/litsytips and #LitsyHowTo videos: goo.gl/UrCpoU. There‘s lots of fun things to do: book exchanges, buddy reads, photo challenges and more!
5y
3 likes2 comments
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LiterRohde
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“Everybody says women are like water. I think it's because water is the source of life, and it adapts itself to its environment. Like women, water also gives of itself wherever it goes to nurture life....”

#WanderingJune | 3: #ChinaGirl

📷: Made with Typorama

BarbaraBB Beautiful comparison although I never heard anyone say women are like water 😉. It may be a Chinese expression! 😘 5y
LiterRohde @BarbaraBB I‘ve not read the book, but I believe that‘s the point - thoughts about Chinese women from Chinese women. Many things come back to nature for the Chinese. 5y
BarbaraBB That sounds very interesting! 5y
Cinfhen I think I‘ve seen comparisons that women are like water/ air and men are like fire @BarbaraBB 5y
Suet624 @Cinfhen I have as well. 5y
61 likes5 comments
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Andrea313
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This book is on my TBR! The stories are primarily drawn from interviews the author conducted during her time as a radio broadcaster in China in the 1980s, and I've read that the author had to leave China in order to write the book, which was published in Britain. #ChinaGirl #WanderingJune
@Cinfhen @BarbaraBB

TrishB Great minds👍🏻 I‘ve just done this one too and I haven‘t read it yet either! 5y
Andrea313 @TrishB If you get there before me, I'd love to hear your thoughts! It looks fascinating. 5y
Cinfhen I was just gonna say you & @TrishB had the same good thought!! 5y
17 likes3 comments
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TrishB
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#chinagirl #wanderingjune
Still on the tbr 🤷‍♀️

Cinfhen Sounds really fascinating 5y
Birdsong28 Such a good book, harrowing at times but good 📚📖 5y
TrishB @Birdsong28 I will get to it eventually! 5y
See All 7 Comments
Caroline2 I loved this book. It‘s really tough at times but very well written. 👍🏻 5y
TrishB @Caroline2 it Ly oks great, I just never seem to get to it. 5y
Caroline2 @TrishB I know what you mean. I had it on my shelf for yearsss, it‘s moved house with me 3 times! 😆 it was only when it came up on some Litsy challenge thing that I actually read it. 🤷‍♀️ it‘s not as dry or depressing as it looks tho! 👍🏻 5y
Caroline2 I was the same. It was on my shelf for yearssss, moved house with me 3 times! I finally read it for a Litsy challenge thing. It‘s not as depressing or hard work as it sounds tho. 👍🏻 5y
90 likes1 stack add7 comments
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Reviewsbylola
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Pickpick

Thank you to @Caroline2 and #newyearwhodis for putting this book on my radar. It is the devastating, brutal read that gives a voice to the unheard women of China.

Xinran was a radio host of a women‘s program in China in the 80s and 90s, shortly after the Cultural Revolution came to an end. She made it her mission to give women an outlet to share their stories. Every single one is almost unbelievable in its severity and heartache.

Caroline2 I‘m so glad you liked it but it is a heartbreaking read isn‘t it! 😔 5y
emilyhaldi Sounds brutal 💔 5y
Itchyfeetreader Sounds powerful, I‘ve stacked 5y
111 likes12 stack adds3 comments
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Reviewsbylola
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My #bathandbook tonight looks to be a good one!

Jee_HookedOnBookz I absolutely loved this book! 5y
Reviewsbylola I‘m reading it for #newyearwhodis! It was one of @caroline2‘s favorite reads from last year. @Jee_HookedOnBookz 5y
Jee_HookedOnBookz What a good pick!! 👍🏼👍🏼 5y
Caroline2 Oh I hope you like it. It pretty hard hitting so I won‘t say enjoy! 😳 ps I‘ve started I capture the castle and I‘m loving it so far!! 😍 5y
Mdargusch I need that mask! 5y
123 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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RachLovesTV
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Pickpick

A starkly painful yet lovingly honest glimpse into the lives of Chinese women from the 1950s through the 1990s. Xinran, a radio host and journalist, developed a deep passion throughout her life and career to track down and share the untold stories of her fellow women, a need perhaps spurred on by her own painful past, a long kept secret. This book was very hard to read at times, but so important.

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Caroline2
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Pickpick

A radio journalist gathers stories from women throughout China in the 20th century. From the rise communism and the Cultural Revolution to the 1990s; the treatment of women was brutal and heartbreaking. I'm surprised it's not been selected for Our Shared Shelf yet. The writing is beautiful; this is going to stay with me a long time! Highly recommend - 5 stars! ⭐️

TrishB Great review 👍🏻 need to move up my tbr! 6y
Joanne1 Haven't thought of this book for years but your review bought it all back. Such an eye opening read. 6y
Caroline2 @TrishB it's really good Trish and the writing is absolutely beautiful!!! But it is hard hitting and emotional reading! 😔 6y
69 likes5 stack adds3 comments
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Caroline2
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I remember buying this book when I was planning to teach English in China over 10yrs ago! Yes, this book has sat on my TBR shelf for over 10yrs!!! 😱 my mission this year is to conquer Mount TBR and make sure I start with all the books that have been on my shelf for years! 👍🏻 (so far this one is really good btw 😁)

ClairesReads I loved this, it‘s so interesting 6y
TrishB Ohhh I‘ve had this on my pile for a while too! I‘ll look forward to your review. Next #whodunnituk in post to you today. 6y
65 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Caroline2
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Well this a great first page...the author fights a mugger because her bag had her book in it!! ?? ? ?
"Of course, life is more important than a book. But in so many ways my book was my life."

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Clare_Riley
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My only reason for taking this out of the library was that the authors name began with an X. It has consistently surprised me and had me close to tears a number of times. How things like this can be normalised in any kind of society, I will never understand. I think this counts as a lucky find, though. #LitsyAtoZ

Tamra This sounds moving, stacked! 6y
Clare_Riley @Tamra it‘s worth it - there are lots of different stories about women in China. And knowing that they are all real and these things really happened...some, if not most, of the stories are heartbreaking. 6y
9 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Susanita
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Some tough stories and a few that are more hopeful. Letter X accomplished for #litsyatoz and #litsypartofone resumed for a day.

26 likes1 stack add
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shawnmooney
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TOKYO USED BOOKSTORE HAUL - BOOK 5 OF 15

I'd only vaguely heard of Xinran but when I read on the back that this is a series of profiles of Chinese women based on a radio talkshow for and about them which she hosted in China, I knew I just had to read it!

Louise Oh, that sounds good! 7y
38 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Suzze
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According to GOODreads, I have 37 books on my shelves with GOOD in the title. The first four I have read and really liked. The last three I have not yet read but I'm looking forward to them. #AprilBookShowers #titlewithGOOD

ephemeralwaltz Awesome! That's a lot. 7y
101 likes1 stack add1 comment
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LindsayReads
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When China began to open up in the 80s, Xinran created a radio show to give a voice to previously silenced Chinese women. #thebacksofwomen #marchintorreading

erzascarletbookgasm I heard this is so good..waiting for me on my shelf :) 7y
46 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Susanita
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Looking forward to reading this for #litsyatoz and #readharderchallenge book set 5000+ miles away. #booksbyasianwriters #readjanuary @RealLifeReading

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jenniferheidi
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Pickpick

Finished this on the Heathrow bus on Friday. It's a powerful and memorable collection of Chinese women's stories, mostly from the Cultural Revolution. (Top tip: don't read on a plane after a couple of British Airways strength gin and tonics 😭)

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