Chen Xiaowei's 2021 book list

The eighth series of "Palm History", edited by Xu Jun, Zhonghua Bookstore, July 2021

Every time I get a new issue of "Palm Death", the mood is comparable to the melon eating masses "long drought and melon". The melon fields of modern and modern history are boundless, and "Palm History" is the small truck that picked the best varieties, crossed the mountains and mountains, and "clicked" to stop on the side of your road. In recent years, I have focused on the mysterious antique dealer Bai Jian. Recall that Bai Jian's article is from his protégé Zhao Chunyuan, of course, the pen has feelings. After reading about the liberation, Mr. Bai had a good life, with a garden of more than 100 square meters, planted with jasmine flowers, and leisurely homemade flower tea, Mao Feng gave friends, just like receiving a letter from a relative who asked Jiu Shuyin, and his heart was relieved. But then I saw that he was moved to Lotus Hill and lived on the second floor, with only a very narrow house, and I felt sorry for him. Finally, when I saw the way he instructed students to learn Japanese, saying that the best teaching material was the Japanese version of "Quotations of Chairman Mao", it was only crying and laughing. The beginning of this issue of "Palm Death" is Bai Qianshen's recollection of Zhang Chonghe's past, and the feeling of being overwhelmed by the teacher is delicate and moving. Bai Qianshen described the layout of the Zhang family clearly, so that you can immediately model in three dimensions in your mind. Do you guess what books Zhang Chonghe read the most in the final stages of his life? It turned out to be a collection of her old works" "Zhang Chonghe Poetry, Calligraphy and Painting Selection". Ai Junchuan talked about Gu Hongming's article, in addition to talking about Gu being both a "general teacher" who taught the university and Mongolian studies, he also solved the question of whether his birth year was 1856 or 1857. Hu Wenhui's article mentions Qian Zhongshu's famous saying that "the study of the manifestation of the market must become a common study", which is timely to say in any era. Of course, there are also small regrets in "Palm History", such as Shen Jianhua's article "Remembering Qian Zhongshu and Rao Zongyi's Correspondence". Watching the two masters clash, I was going to have a full meal, who knew that only one round would be able to collect the troops, and it was difficult to quench the hunger and thirst.

Chen Mengjia and His Friends, by Fang Jixiao, Sanlian Bookstore, August 2021

There are many books that talk about modern scholars, but it is rare to see what is said. One of the reasons was that there was no new material, so I had to go from barnyard to barnyard and copy it back and forth. Fang Jixiao's five-hundred-page book, on the contrary, is based on solid and exclusive information and has no water injection. Many years ago, a large number of correspondence between Chen Mengjia and his friends flowed to PanJiayuan, most of which he obtained. Everyone has been looking forward to him sorting it out as soon as possible and making it public. It can be said that without this batch of materials, the study of Chen Mengjia would not be complete. I got the book and turned to the last chapter. Because who is the last person Chen Mengjia visited before committing suicide, Ms. Cai? What are the interactions between the two? What exactly did he write in the "Book of Desperation" to Ms. Cai? These questions are answered in detail. Not only that, Fang Jixiao also managed to visit Ms. Cai and ask her to recall the situation at that time. Now that Ms. Cai has passed away, these interviews are the only remaining first-hand accounts. In other chapters, the author writes about Wen Yiduo, Hu Shi, Rong Geng, Tang Lan, Wang Shixiang, and writes about the enmity and resentment between friends and colleagues, because of the rich material, they are also full of confidence, and write a "living" history.

"There are many dung in Luchuan", by Li Cangdong, Wuhan University Press, August 2021

Most of Li Cangdong's films have been seen, so this one is a director's novel. I also heard that he was the minister of culture of South Korea, so this is another leading cadre writing a novel -- writing such a novel. Marginal figures, endless loneliness and grievances in life. It doesn't seem to matter exactly where the story he writes takes place. Works that dare to fight with reality, do not go around in circles, and do not play tricks are really powerful.

Chen Xiaowei