Crocodile Notes

【Content Introduction】
"No matter how much pain and suffering I have to endure, I will still say that love is immortal."
"Crocodile Notes" is Taiwanese author Qiu Miaojin's debut novel, her most significant, and a classic of feminist literature in the Chinese-speaking world. Set against the backdrop of the protagonist "I"'s university life, the novel follows the story of the budding, deepening, and ultimately divorcing relationships, confronting the depths of intense love and the unfathomable sorrow of others, offering a glimpse into the sensitive, self-destructive world of youth. It offers a true portrayal of the lost and troubled mental journey of a generation of Taiwanese youth in the late 20th century, and a personal account of the arduous journey of gender identity and self-identification. With a penetrating, shimmering touch, the author delves into the hidden layers of the soul. Through these candid self-analyses and the dialectical reversals of erotic imaginations, moments of profound intertwining humanity, and powerful and sublime experiences of life, the novel profoundly explores the eternal theme of humanity: how, through the purest of emotions, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world, reaching from the individual to the depths of the universal human heart—a brilliant intellectual passion.
Interspersed throughout these stories is the monologue of an anthropomorphic crocodile, forming a poetic allegory independent of the main plot. The crocodile, dressed in human form, ultimately floats down to the ocean in a flaming bathtub, alluding to the loneliness and exclusion faced by the "crocodile/marginalized person" in human society, creating a bizarre artistic effect of polyphonic double voice.
【Editor's Recommendation】
★ This debut novel by Qiu Miaojin, a brilliant and legendary female writer in the Chinese-speaking world at the end of the 20th century, is a love story that astonished the Chinese-speaking world and ushered in a literary classic of an era. Highly recommended by Jiang Xun, Luo Yijun, Chen Xue, and Guo Yujie. Qiu Miaojin was a legend who shook Taiwan. A genius who dedicated her life to creation, she emerged with a fierce and intense talent, and then tragically and resolutely departed from the world. Her works have been widely praised, quoted, discussed, and studied. Her life, deeds, and even the novels, writers, and filmmakers she read and admired have become models for a generation of young artists. "Notes of a Crocodile" bravely transforms hidden female emotions into brilliant writing. It depicts a difficult journey of gender identity and a story of extremely passionate and tragic love, marking the scale and shadow of an era. Many of the words and images in the book have become symbols of self-identification for generations.
"No matter how much pain and suffering I endure, I will still speak of the immortality of love." A classic of feminist literature in the Chinese-speaking world, this book offers a profound exploration of the intimate emotions of women, moments of profound intersection between humanity, and a powerful and solemn experience of life. Written in allegory and code, this lengthy love letter reveals a woman's love experience, both magnificent and heartbreaking, fierce yet tender. Its rich and vibrant emotions, and the serious and sincere qualities of life, showcase the nobility and purity of love, its permanence and absence. The novel is imbued with a sharp philosophical insight, reaching from the individual to the depths of the universal human heart, revealing the complex, ever-changing, and ravaged inner landscape of the human soul. A rich and abundant beauty, a noble and captivating vitality, emanates a breathtaking and captivating power. Love falters, life is ruined. Only by facing oneself and life with utmost authenticity and courage can one defy the tyranny of fate and the vulgarity of society.
A crocodile's heartfelt confession, a lament from the margins of life, dedicated to every human who pretends to be normal. "Crocodile Notes" depicts the plight of those on the fringes of society with the uncanny touch of a fairy tale or fable, demonstrating a keen grasp of the undercurrents of thought in a transitional generation and conveying an irrepressible excitement about the new possibilities of gender and sexuality. Inside everyone lives a crocodile, and sometimes it's necessary to hide, to disguise oneself in human form, to rediscover oneself in the darkness, and to explore the world. Since 1994, this book has continued to send a message of concern to those who are different, or who believe they are different: "Hi, dear crocodile, how are you?"
This hardcover commemorative collector's edition, which received the Times Literary Award and was recommended by "Eight Minutes of Reading," has been translated into numerous languages ​​and received widespread acclaim. "Notes of a Crocodile" has been translated into English, French, German, Turkish, Spanish, and Italian, among other languages. In 2017, "Notes of a Crocodile" was included in the "New York Review of Books" "Revisited Classics" list. Qiu Miaojin is the second Chinese-language author to be featured in this series, following Eileen Chang. Authors Luo Yijun and Lai Xiangyin have dedicated their novels "Sending Away Sadness" and "Afterwards," respectively, to Qiu Miaojin's memory and tribute.

2021-07-01

北京日报出版社

Ideal Country

284

9787547739525