Bao Bao's Odyssey: From Mao's Shanghai to Capitalist Hong Kong - Paul Ting - Bookniverse

Bao Bao's Odyssey: From Mao's Shanghai to Capitalist Hong Kong

Paul Ting

US $14.15

US $17.69

2012/03

9789888167982

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Proverse Hong Kong

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About this book

文學 > 世界文學

A teenage boy grows up in 1950s / early 1970s Shanghai and finds a way to join his parents in Hong Kong. Mischievous adolescent Song Bao Bao grows up devoted to his country under the stringent eyes of the Communist party. Precocious for his age, he has strong innate curiosity. He discovers many truths that others may not wish him to know. Anxious to learn more, he goes to great lengths to build a powerful and illegal radio capable of receiving censored frequencies, such as the Voice of America broadcasting in Chinese. Conscientiously fulfilling his daytime duties to the Party, the boy also leads a busy nightlife – such as spying on Uncle and Auntie's bedroom activities, attempting to make sense of human sexuality and converting complex mathematical concepts into simple images to tutor his girl-friend Dan Dan. The young boy follows Communist doctrine obediently and enthusiastically to pursue his dream of becoming a Nobel Prize winner. When required to engage in such activities, he writes the most Da Zi Baos (Big Character Posters) in the least amount of time, makes the most impressive paper heart in class, energetically kills sparrows, and assumes the role of leader in group discussions. His enthusiasm is partly based on his assumption that a bright future lies ahead of him. Then, one day he realises that, because of his background, he is and always will be ineligible to attend a good university in his home country. Bao Bao is devastated. All his dreams are shattered. There is no future ahead of him. Then, mustering all his courage, he racks his brains to find a way out of this impasse. Finally he makes a fateful decision that will change his life forever.

About the author(s)

Paul Ting

Born in Fuzhou, PAUL TING left China when he was a student. Paul Ting has lived in Hong Kong, Germany, Spain, Canada and France and has a good command of English, German, Spanish and French as well as of his native language, Chinese. He graduated from the University of Western Ontario, Canada with a B.A. (Hon.) degree in German literature. He has worked in very different locations, including an oil-rig near the Alberta- Saskatchewan border, Canada and a logging camp in British Columbia, Canada. His occupations have varied greatly, including for example working at Lufthansa, as a computer salesman and as the chairman of a publicly-listed company in Hong Kong. He has traveled to over ninety countries and participated in various adventurous trips, ranging from hitch-hiking across Canada (from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland). He is married with a son and a daughter.

About the publisher

Proverse publishes internationally from Hong Kong mainly high quality literary and general titles (novels, novellas, single author short story and poetry collections, poetry anthologies, biography and autobiography), also some travel, sport, young author, mixed genre, educational and academic works, and edited historical source materials. Proverse authors include local and international authors, native speakers of English as well as non-native speakers. Topics and settings vary between local and international. Publication modes are paperback, hardback, ebook and audiobook. Most books are in the English language, including translations into English. A number are in Chinese, and a couple in Italian, a few are bilingual (English/Chinese; English/Italian). Several titles received publication support from Hong Kong Arts Development Council and other cultural bodies in Hong Kong and elsewhere.In 2008, Proverse established theannual international Proverse Prize for unpublished book-length non-fiction, fiction or poetry submitted in English. In 2016, Proverse launched theannual international Proverse Poetry Prize for a single poem submitted in English. Both prizes open for entries no later than 7 May each year (closing date 30 June). Entries to both prizes are invited from anywhere in the world and are open to all over eighteen years old, whatever their nationality, residence or citizenship. Writers and poets from Hong Kong and many countries in the world participate. Winners have been both local and international.Beginning in 2009 and continuing, Proverse organises in central Hong Kong a Spring and an Autumn literary event, open to the public. In recent years, a parallel event, available internationally, is shown on Youtube.Of the titles published by Proverse, several have attracted a Preface or advance appreciation from figures of international reputation. Two Proverse authors have been best sellers, one (Peter Gregoire) in Hong Kong and the other (Nicholas Binge) in Spain.Further informationWebsite: htt[s://www.proversepublishing.comGillian Bickley, ‘The Proverse Prize, Journal of Postcolonial Writing, Vol 59, 2023 Issue 1. https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/TKVG8HZSZWX6R4CUJUKM/full?target=10.1080/17449855.2022.2101653Proverse titles page:https://cup.cuhk.edu.hk/ProversehkProverse Autumn Reception 2022 video (3rd edit): https://youtu.be/9L0L0AY6NGQProverse Youtube channel: youtube.com/@ProversePublishing

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