Tuesday, June 03, 2008

A Tag for Bookworms

I am such a geek. For days now, I've composed blog posts in my head while nursing Rohan to sleep. Prose that was, of course, brimming with wit and insight. But nothing short of a kick in the derriere would cure me of this inertia to sit before a computer and actually type. Or so I thought, until Anamika tagged me (http://thinkingcramps.blogspot.com).

Anamika, you got me pegged. A tag on books and I'm typing furiously before you can say, "What a lazy lying bum!" This one's so much fun!

OK, the rules:

Pick up the nearest book.
Open to page 123.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post the next three sentences.
Tag five people, and acknowledge the person who tagged you .

So I grabbed "The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices" by Xinran, which I am presently re-reading. When I read it for the first time, I was depressed for days. Never thought I would read it again. But I'm fresh out of reading material, so yesterday I reluctantly picked it up. Glad I did, for now I'm looking beyond the shock and horror of the true-life accounts in this book and really thinking about this China we don't know.

OK, Page 123, Fifth sentence. Here goes:

"My grandfather was already over seventy when he was imprisoned. He survived his ordeal with an astoundingly strong will. The Red Guards spat or blew their noses into the coarse food and weak tea they brought to their prisoners. An old man who shared a cell with my grandfather died of grief, anger and shame at this treatment, but my grandfather kept a smile on his face. He removed the mucus and spit and ate everything that could be eaten."

I didn't stop at three sentences because it wouldn't make sense. And it's interesting that although the entire book is about the voices and lives of Chinese women, the above lines deal with a man. So although they aren't representative of the content, you may get some idea about the style of the writer (a Chinese journalist, who's a woman).

Thanks for tagging me, Anamika! And I pass this on to Terri's mom (http://terristurf.blogspot.com), Amodini (http://reviewroom.blogspot.com), Cee Kay (http://my2centstoo.blogspot.com), Mystic (http://mysticmargarita.blogspot.com) and Rads (http://kowthas.wordpress.com)!

7 comments:

rads said...

Awesome tag. Thanks for tagging me :) *can't believe am saying this lol*

Will do pronto, especially so since am so out of blogging material!

Mystic Margarita said...

Wonderful tag, Muser! Done it - I'm so proud of myself! :)

Thinking Cramps said...

Good work. Sounds like a chilling book. Yes, that is a side of China that has been pushed under the carpet (or, if you will, the tank at Tiananmen Square).

Blog more, it's good to have you back!

AMODINI said...

Muser,
Thanks - nice tag ! Will do soon. Meanwhile looked back at your kid's photos. Ms. R is very cute, and Rohan is such a gorgeous baby !

Unknown said...

Great - must read this book . Its great to see how this tag has travelled - from La Delirante to Ana to you and thereafter ... !!

Good to see a post from you after so long . How are the kids ?Whts Raina saying now ? You must post more often on the lady's pithy sayings !

A Muser said...

Thanks for taking up the tag, folks! It's fun to read what you all are reading.
Amodini, wish I could take credit for the kids, but both have gone on their dad in the looks department. Their intelligence comes from their mom, of course!
EL, the kids are doing good, thanks for asking. Raina is chockfull of pithy sayings, as usual. Will blog about it soon, I hope!

Unknown said...

Hi tagged you .