The World of a Tiny Insect
Book description
"From the cry of a tiny insect, one can hear the sound of a vast world..." So begins Zhang Daye's preface to The World of a Tiny Insect, his haunting memoir of war and its aftermath. In 1861, when China's devastating Taiping rebellion began, Zhang was seven years old. The…
Why read it?
1 author picked The World of a Tiny Insect as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I loved this little book because, in just a short space, it takes you into what it was like to live through the Taiping Rebellion, one of the most important events in China’s nineteenth century, and it does it through the eyes of a child. It’s an amazing viewpoint, and the stories are dramatic.
The introduction, which explains all the background, and translation by Xiaofei Tian, who is a well-known poet in Chinese as well as a professor at Harvard, is also beautifully written.
From Henrietta's list on Qing Dynasty China from an Oxford historian.
Want books like The World of a Tiny Insect?
Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The World of a Tiny Insect.
Browse books like The World of a Tiny Insect
5 book lists we think you will like!
Interested in China, the Taiping Rebellion, and women?
10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about China, the Taiping Rebellion, and women.