What do you think?
Sweet and Sour
A collection of tales from various periods of Chinese history.
111 pages, Hardcover
First published July 17, 1979
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 28, 2020
These are charmingly retold, authentic stories from China. This a short and an eclectic collection of what could be called folk tales, fables, and fairy tales, and maybe a myth. Sources and dates are provided for each one. The stories are often amusing or have a nice twist at the end. Many of them would do well as oral stories.
I could not fine that Yao Wen Li has written other books, to my disappointment. Ms Kendall helped work them into English for telling and she is the author of The Gammage Cup, and I suppose that accounts for the English flavor of these tales, which is, as the title says, sweet and sour. They are tales told with a glint of amusement, a bit of a wink at the end, and a tart appreciation of life as it is, a healthy, and delightful sense of irony.
The authors say, "In choosing the tales to appear in Sweet and Sour, we made just two simple conditions: first, that they be Chinese; and second, that we like them..."
I like them, too.
I could not fine that Yao Wen Li has written other books, to my disappointment. Ms Kendall helped work them into English for telling and she is the author of The Gammage Cup, and I suppose that accounts for the English flavor of these tales, which is, as the title says, sweet and sour. They are tales told with a glint of amusement, a bit of a wink at the end, and a tart appreciation of life as it is, a healthy, and delightful sense of irony.
The authors say, "In choosing the tales to appear in Sweet and Sour, we made just two simple conditions: first, that they be Chinese; and second, that we like them..."
I like them, too.
June 19, 2013
It's always hard to rate a collection of stories . . . Which is why they generally get a low rating and then I feel guilty and feel the need to explain my rating in a review. ;)
This was an okay collection, and it's a very quick read since each of the stories are quite short. I picked it up because it was co-authored by the author of "The Gammage Cup", one of my all-time favorites.
A handful of these stories I really enjoyed and had some clever and different twists that reminded me of some of the stories I write (not to say mine are clever, 'cause they're not. :P).
Most of them were just mediocre to me though. Some were okay but... I dunno. They didn't grab me. And a few I didn't "get", though that's probably just a difference in what I'm used to reading since I'm not very informed on Chinese culture/fables (no doubt a failing on my part).
Several of them made me smile, and a few were truly wonderful, so I'm glad I read the collection. My favorites were "The Clever Wife", "The Living Kuan-Yin", "The Serpent Slayer" and "Golden Life". Those were really awesome. :)
If you like Chinese culture, dry wit and wisdom, fables, folktales, or fairytales, you will probably get something out of this book.
This was an okay collection, and it's a very quick read since each of the stories are quite short. I picked it up because it was co-authored by the author of "The Gammage Cup", one of my all-time favorites.
A handful of these stories I really enjoyed and had some clever and different twists that reminded me of some of the stories I write (not to say mine are clever, 'cause they're not. :P).
Most of them were just mediocre to me though. Some were okay but... I dunno. They didn't grab me. And a few I didn't "get", though that's probably just a difference in what I'm used to reading since I'm not very informed on Chinese culture/fables (no doubt a failing on my part).
Several of them made me smile, and a few were truly wonderful, so I'm glad I read the collection. My favorites were "The Clever Wife", "The Living Kuan-Yin", "The Serpent Slayer" and "Golden Life". Those were really awesome. :)
If you like Chinese culture, dry wit and wisdom, fables, folktales, or fairytales, you will probably get something out of this book.
September 28, 2021
3 stars [Folklore]
(W: 3.25, P: 3.25, O: 3, T: 2)
Exact rating: 2.88
An anthology of Chinese folklore derived from various eras between the Warring States Period (3rd century B.C.) and the Qing Dynasty (ending in 1911). The front page notes, "Retold by Carol Kendall & Yao-Wen Li." Since this is a retelling, the Writing score is for the translation, extrapolation, and adornment of the stories. The truth score reflects both the stories' cleverness [3] and the malign influences of Taoism and Animism [1]; otherwise, mythical animals or superstitions were to be expected in folklore, and did not influence this rating.
Probably suitable only for children 12 and up.
(W: 3.25, P: 3.25, O: 3, T: 2)
Exact rating: 2.88
An anthology of Chinese folklore derived from various eras between the Warring States Period (3rd century B.C.) and the Qing Dynasty (ending in 1911). The front page notes, "Retold by Carol Kendall & Yao-Wen Li." Since this is a retelling, the Writing score is for the translation, extrapolation, and adornment of the stories. The truth score reflects both the stories' cleverness [3] and the malign influences of Taoism and Animism [1]; otherwise, mythical animals or superstitions were to be expected in folklore, and did not influence this rating.
Probably suitable only for children 12 and up.
August 7, 2024
I read this book twice, this review being written after my second reading. I read this with my children as part of our homeschool. My younger daughter is a fairy tale fan, and so a collection of tales she was unfamiliar with kept her enraptured. Since this is part of a study of the "Eastern Hemisphere," and read while she learned about China, it enabled us to talk about some key differences (and similatities) between cultures through a medium the younger audience could grasp. We discovered this book through the Bookshark curriculum.
December 21, 2024
Himpunan 24 cerpen pendek tentang cerita rakyat atau folktales orang Cina di Tanah Besar China yang setiap satu cerpennya diakhiri dengan pengajaran untuk pedoman pembaca.
Ada cerpen pendek yang tidak hanya separuh muka surat.
Ada cerita penyesalan akibat tamak haloba, keberanian yang membawa kepada kemenangan menentang kejahatan, kejahatan akhirnya akan terbongkar jua, etc.
Ada cerpen pendek yang tidak hanya separuh muka surat.
Ada cerita penyesalan akibat tamak haloba, keberanian yang membawa kepada kemenangan menentang kejahatan, kejahatan akhirnya akan terbongkar jua, etc.
April 2, 2023
Some of these stories are so clever, so illuminating. But sadly the translation - likely of a different mode because of a different time, generation - is difficult to enjoy at times. Still, as a repository for nearly a millennium of different eras’ stories, this is fantastic.
February 7, 2017
I enjoyed this book through its entirety. It reminded me why I developed a love for reading; getting lost in the wonders of fairytales!!
November 6, 2017
the tales make you think
Read
August 20, 2019The stories are very interesting. Some are not appropriate for children.
October 11, 2019
Excellent collection of stories retold in a straightforward and engaging style. Nice to know the approximate source of each one.
November 29, 2020
We didn't enjoy this as a "reader" but for the cultural content.
October 21, 2021
Read for school.
November 8, 2021
3.5 stars. A surprisingly enjoyable collection of Chinese stories that have beguiling endings SL Core F.
May 29, 2023
Most of the tales were clever and witty and gave cultural heritage insights. But a few I couldn’t read aloud because of sensitive ears
September 25, 2024
This is a collection of short stories. It is hard to rate as some are better than others.
September 27, 2024
Read this book for Abraham’s BookShark curriculum. Not my favorite. I enjoyed some of the short stories, others for me were hard to comprehend.
May 5, 2016
This was the first of the school library's "mythological/folk tale" discards I processed today. Now, regarding the title, I do not recall ever encountering sweet and sour sauce when I was in the People's Republic, but I think I had a nice soup with a friend in the United States called that.
Concerning the book, I really liked considering what I knew of each of the periods of Chinese history indicated at the end of each story.
I didn't look at it for very long, but I enjoyed what I saw of it.
Concerning the book, I really liked considering what I knew of each of the periods of Chinese history indicated at the end of each story.
I didn't look at it for very long, but I enjoyed what I saw of it.
July 5, 2009
Chinese short stories from a variety of time periods - most of which are thought provoking or funny.
March 15, 2016
the tales make you think
April 1, 2021
Cool book about short stories from China.
January 28, 2014
We read this during the Magic Carpet year. Short and sweet fables from China.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews