Mao's Town

Mao's Town shows the effect of the historically important Mao era on a small Chinese town in the late 50's and 60's seen through the eyes of a small boy. The book focusses on the fate of two neighbouring families and in particular, a couple who have returned to China with their family after time spent in Indonesia.Little by little, all dignity is stripped from Ahn and Jing, until in the end only death can restore what they have lost. In a finale that is as terrible as it is beautiful they use fire and water to cleanse themselves, and to fling their imposed shame in the faces of their tormentors.

Xie Hong is an award-winning author, novelist and poet based in China. He was born in Canton and graduated from East ChinaNormal University, Shanghai, with an economics degree. Moving to New Zealand he then studied English at the Waikato Instituteof Technology in the North Island of New Zealand. He began writing poetry in 1985 and turned his attention to fiction in 1993. He has authored 14 books and his short stories have appeared in World Literature Today, Pathlight, Renditions. Currently, he lives in mainland China.