1 . Three Books for A More Honest View of Parent
Nowadays, it seems there are two ways to write about parenthood. I am heartily sick of both. This year I’ve decided to hug books that are inspiring and honest, yet do not avoid the pleasures of parenthood.
Life Among the Savages Shirley Jackson price: $15
Shirley Jackson, author of one of the most amazingly sinister novels of all time and of the short story The Lottery, also wrote two charming novels about raising her four children in an old farmhouse in rural Vermont. In Life Among the Savages, Jackson’s humor is as thrilling as her horror, and her children seem never to inspire in her anything worse than a fond exasperation (恼怒) .
A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You Amy Bloom price: $13. 95
A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You contains one of the most absolute expressions of a mother’s love in fiction. Much of it takes place in the waiting room of a gender-reassignment surgeon. It’s about a woman who is determined to be the mother that her child needs her to be. In this collection ordinary women rise to the occasion demanded by motherhood. They make mistakes but they generall succeed in making up for them.
Family Man Calvin Trillin price: $ 18
In his memoir (回忆录) Family Man, Calvin Trillin writes with humor about his wife and daughters. He gives what I think is the single most useful piece of parenting advice “Getting advice on the best way to bring up children is like getting advice on the best way to breathe sooner or later you’re probably going to forget it and go back to your regular old in-and-out.” Trillin gives the impression of being the best kind of husband.
1. Which book tells a story of raising children in the countryside?| A．The Lottery. | B．Family Man. |
| C．Life Among the Savages. | D．A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You. |
| A．A humorous mother. | B．An operation. |
| C．Offering advice. | D．Being a kind husband. |
| A．They share a theme. | B．They target the same audience. |
| C．They were written by the same author. | D．They were published in the same year. |
2 . Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair 2024
The Novel Fair is an annual competition initiated by the Irish Writers Centre (IWC). Described by The Irish Times as “A Dragons’ Cave for writers”, each year the Fair aims to introduce up-and-coming writers to top publishers and literary agents.
The Prize
The twelve winners will have the opportunity to present the summary of their novel directly to industry professionals. Leading publishers and agents will be invited by the IWC to meet these writers in person or through a series of online meetings. To get fully prepared for the meeting with publishers and agents, the winners will receive a place in a workshop on “How to Promote Your Novel”, two weeks in advance. Also, applicants who are longlisted (初选) but do not make it to the shortlist of twelve will have their works evaluated and criticized by the judging panel.
How to Enter
Entry fee for application is £55 (Members of IWC can enter for a discounted fee of £45). This competition only accepts manuscripts (原稿) for novels. Applicants are required to send a summary within 300 words and up to five chapters of their novel, which should be 10,000 words (+/-10％). Manuscripts should be submitted online. There is a limit of one entry per applicant.
Entries are welcome from anywhere in the world. Before entering the competition, please ensure that you have read the Novel Fair Terms & Conditions 2024 very carefully as the Fair is open to only novelists who have never published work previously. If you have any questions about the application process, please email novelfair@irishwriterscentre.ie.
1. What’s the purpose of the Fair?| A．To advertise local stories. |
| B．To encourage literary reading. |
| C．To serve as a platform for writers. |
| D．To arouse enthusiasm for writing. |
| A．Deal with the judging panel. |
| B．Improve their writing skills. |
| C．Learn about publishing process. |
| D．Present their novels attractively. |
| A．A summary of 200 words. |
| B．A novel published in 2023. |
| C．A paper manuscript by post. |
| D．A submission of seven chapters. |
3 . If you want to understand China but can’t afford an expensive international flight, these four books can give you a complete overview of the country.
River Town
River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze by Peter Hessler-This book is a journal of the author’s two years spent teaching English in a small town called Fuling, situated on the banks of the Yangtze River. Hessler writes about his experiences living in a foreign culture and observing the lives of the town’s residents. The book was published in 2001 and has won several awards, including the Kiriyama Prize.
Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China
It is a book that tells the story of China’s modernization. It was written by Ezra Vogel and published in 2011. The author describes how Deng Xiaoping’s policies led to significant changes in China’s economy and society. The book has received critical honors and won the Lionel Gelber Prize In 2012.
The Search for Modern China by Jonathan Spence
This book is a comprehensive history of China from the Ming dynasty to the present day. The author, a prominent scholar of Chinese history, provides a detailed analysis of the social, cultural, and political changes that have taken place in China over the past 500 years. The book was first put out in 1990 and has since been revised and updated several times. This book was the top bestseller for years.
Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China
Written by Leslie T. Chang, this book, published in 2008, is reportage on the lives of young women who leave their rural homes to work in factories in China’s cities. Chang, a former New York Times correspondent (someone who is employed by a newspaper or a television station etc. to report news from a particular area or on a particular subject), interviewed hundreds of factory girls to provide insight into the social and economic changes in China.
1. What kind of book is River Town?| A．Science fiction. | B．Nonfiction. |
| C．A travel guide of Fuling. | D．A reference book. |
| A．It was published 500 years ago. | B．It was written by a history teacher. |
| C．It was very popular. | D．It has remained the same since its first publication. |
| A．River Town. |
| B．Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China. |
| C．The Search for Modern China. |
| D．Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China. |
4 . I have always loved the Arthurian legend (传奇), as there is something quite special about King Arthur, and of course Merlin, my favourite character from the stories.
Death of an Empire is the second volume in MK Hume’s “Merlin” series which details Merlin’s life from birth. Merlin travels across the Roman Empire in search of his father, a voyage of discovery to understand just who he was. Eventually Merlin gets involved in the fight against the Hun’s invasion (入侵) of Europe at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plain.
Serving under the General Flavius Aetius, Merlin builds a reputation by saving the lives of thousands of soldiers. When he finally reaches Rome, he saves many more. But a far deadlier conflict between Emperor Valentinian and Senator Petronius Maximus is around the corner and Merlin must use all his strength to carry out his work.
If I had to choose just one word to describe this novel, there would be no other choice than “immersive (身临其境的)”. There has clearly been a serious amount of research carried out by the author. Combined with the descriptive prose and imaginative story, the book really does attract you from almost the very start. The story really does feel like you are a part of it as Merlin travels across the Roman Empire.
The author does a great job of mixing the rich history with established Arthurian legend. The battle scene is handled very effectively. The author employs a very effective form to show the main fight and this not only adds a degree of tension and a good level of excitement but almost makes you feel like you are right there hearing about what happened.
Death of an Empire is a very fine novel, a wonderfully rich tale and a rewarding story.
1. Why does Merlin travel across the Roman Empire?| A．To visit King Arthur. | B．To enjoy a nice view. |
| C．To get a well-paid job. | D．To find out his origin. |
| A．It is a mixture of history and legend. |
| B．It features difficult language. |
| C．It speaks highly of an emperor. |
| D．It is a masterpiece of Merlin. |
| A．An effective description. | B．A long-running battle. |
| C．A wonderful feeling. | D．A well-known legend. |
| A．A news report. | B．A history story. |
| C．A book review. | D．A science fiction. |
