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Wuhan Diary: Dispatches from the Original Epicenter

Fang Fang,

Michael Berry (Translator)

3.57 · Rating details · 676 ratings · 154 reviews

FROM ONE OF CHINA'S MOST ACCLAIMED AND DECORATED WRITERS COMES A POWERFUL FIRST-PERSON ACCOUNT OF LIFE IN WUHAN DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK.

On January 25, 2020, after the central government imposed a lockdown in Wuhan, acclaimed Chinese writer Fang Fang began publishing on online diary. In the days and weeks that followed, Fang Fang's nightly postings gave voice to the fe ...more

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Hardcover, 208 pages

Published August 18th 2020 by HarperVia (first published May 15th 2020)

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May 20, 2020 Petra-X Off having adventures rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-100-reviews, travel-adventure-countries, medicine-science, reviewed, 2020-read

Finished! The book was exactly what it said, a diary posted online every day (posts removed by the ultra-leftists - see below, when they could). Fang Fang is a major literary figure in China and she has a very large following for whom her posts were perhaps the only true despatches on the coronavirus situation. The only information that was not tainted with having to please the Party official above the reporter, and so on up the chain.

The afterword by the translator, Michael Berry would have bee ...more

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Apr 22, 2020 Erica Hu rated it liked it

The title speaks for itself –– a diary.
To those who lash out on this book and denouncing it for being biased, read it like you read a diary. A diary is a momento, a piece of oral history. You don’t read Voices from Chernobyl and expect to understand a comprehensive, objective, deductive research paper with all facts about the nuclear disaster. You read a diary to hear a voice, to learn about perspectives not fit for traditional journalism. Fang Fang’s diary is one of the tiny puzzles that make ...more

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May 28, 2020 Radiantflux rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: calibre, china, audiobook, health

50th book for 2020.

Although somewhat repetitive, an excellent resource for both understanding day-to-day life in Wuhan under lockdown, as well as the Chinese government's response.

Note: Many negative reviews on Goodreads are a result of a concerted effort by Chinese government trolls, which should make you want to read this even more.

4-stars. ...more

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Jun 28, 2020 Hadrian rated it liked it

Shelves: china, nonfiction, medicine, memoir

But there is nothing we can do. Actually, there is nothing anyone can do. Our only choice is to grin and bear it. Even though it is getting to the point that most of the patients can’t bear it anymore, nor can their families. But if you don’t bear it, what else is there you can do? I once wrote somewhere that “one speck of dust from an entire era may not seem like much, but when it falls on your head it’s like a mountain crashing on you.” The first time I wrote those words, I don’t think I fully But there is nothing we can do. Actually, there is nothing anyone can do. Our only choice is to grin and bear it. Even though it is getting to the point that most of the patients can’t bear it anymore, nor can their families. But if you don’t bear it, what else is there you can do? I once wrote somewhere that “one speck of dust from an entire era may not seem like much, but when it falls on your head it’s like a mountain crashing on you.” The first time I wrote those words, I don’t think I fully grasped the depth of what it represented. But now those words are etched in my heart. [...] But then again, when I think about it from another angle, besides standing up and putting on a brave face, what else can we do? We are not trained to help the sick. All we can do is face what lies before us and shoulder what is coming. And when we have the wherewithal to help others, we help them shoulder it, too. But no matter what, I need to bear another week.

I often wonder what writing will be published about the current pandemic after it will be written. (Spare a thought for all the resumes and college admissions essays that have to include it.) Fang Fang's account is notable for being one of the most popular pieces of writing written during the ongoing crisis.

This was not supposed to be a book, it was a collection of diary entries written on Weibo, and so there is a lot of repetition. Something happens, and the author writes down her thoughts hours later, often without a filter. She holds fast to hope, and the stories of people helping each other.

Fang Fang (a pen name for Wang Fang, an award-winning author), is a well-off intellectual, and so her story includes a look into Chinese writers and professors' perspectives. Of course this is not the whole country, but it is still of some use for understanding what's going on. The author shares some rumors and videos that are shared on social media -- and we know how unreliable social media is. She is also angry at the local government and its inability to respond to the issue, and that's also a reason why she's received so much pushback from online nationalists. See the one-star reviews next to this one.

This is still a primary source of some value. As I read it, I found that events she describes as happening this year feel like they were five years ago. This book may be praised but I wonder how many people are too emotionally exhausted to read it all the way through. ...more

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May 05, 2020 Tara rated it it was amazing

I don’t know about you, but all these 1 star reviews just make me want to read it more. Preordering now.

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Apr 10, 2020 Night Owl rated it did not like it

A diary was written by a CCP high official retiree who quarantined in the bedroom for more than two months, based on highly repeated catchphrases like “I heard from a doctor friend”, "one of my friends texted me that", "a journalist friend secretly told me"... It's fine if it were posted in the Whatapp Group chat for gossip juice, but a book happened in such short notice with ready-to-read translated English and Germany editions? Let alone certain rumors got fact-checked by netizens in China bef A diary was written by a CCP high official retiree who quarantined in the bedroom for more than two months, based on highly repeated catchphrases like “I heard from a doctor friend”, "one of my friends texted me that", "a journalist friend secretly told me"... It's fine if it were posted in the Whatapp Group chat for gossip juice, but a book happened in such short notice with ready-to-read translated English and Germany editions? Let alone certain rumors got fact-checked by netizens in China before the punishment of her book like a Southen city nurse who volunteered in Wuhan died 3 times in her book (Chinese, English and Germany edition), yet turns out to be still ALIVE but fainted due to another physical disease. This poor nurse's colleagues and family spoke publicly for an apology. A bit cruel to host an international online funeral for somebody who's just sick not dead, isn't it?
Kinda feel insulted to see it be recommended on Goodreads in the first place. A watched pot never boils, I'd rather hold a couple of months to see how things/facts settled down. I lean on the latest scientific reports made by Cambridge University, Nature, the Lancet etc with less biased prejudice nor overdosed politicization at this moment.
In the meanwhile, one of my best friends who's currently working/living in China begs to differ from Fang fang's opinions. In case you're wondering, he's a British caucasian who has never been brainwashed by any political organizations. Feedback from him who's experienced the process of containing the COVID-19 turns to be quite the opposite. With the ultimate goal of saving more lives, yes, certain strict rules were complimented, such as compulsory home isolation, mask-wearing, and temperature checking basically everywhere you go. He's able to go out for a coffee with friends now, better than herd immunity in any possible ways.
Hope more solidarity and kindness to help the human race put an end to the stressful and deadly menace. Rather than focus on some sort of biased political schemes. ...more

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Sep 10, 2020 Vivian rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, 2020-odyssey

Valuable resource of a first hand account. Not a scandalous read to Western standards, any critiques Fang makes are reasoned and polite. I seemed to have lost all my notes, but the everyday ups and downs as time and the virus spread progressed I could relate to and felt that in many ways I mirrored Fang.

We have all been traumatized by this in different ways; looking back, none of us feel lucky--we just feel like survivors.

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May 03, 2020 Luna Qiu rated it really liked it

First thing first: if you are only reading this book for the sake of getting more dirt on the CCP, then you are coming to the wrong place. Granted, this book is biased, but this is because the book is written from the perspective of an average Wuhan citizen who witnessed the entirety of the Chinese government's dealing from her humble perspective, plus a few interviews that she has done with some medical authorities. She is not a professional reporter, nor does she have access to all inside info First thing first: if you are only reading this book for the sake of getting more dirt on the CCP, then you are coming to the wrong place. Granted, this book is biased, but this is because the book is written from the perspective of an average Wuhan citizen who witnessed the entirety of the Chinese government's dealing from her humble perspective, plus a few interviews that she has done with some medical authorities. She is not a professional reporter, nor does she have access to all inside information regarding to China's coronavirus situation. Bear in mind that this is a DIARY, as one of the comments written above me has pointed out, and it is impossible for the writer to give an extensive narrative on this matter. Also, I would like to point out that this piece of writing was heavily censored and criticized by the pro-CCP people in China solely because Fang Fang calls for the public to hold the government accountable for their actions (which is actually the main point of this book, mentioned at the end of many chapters), which further proves that this book is in no way a political propaganda defending the CCP.

I read the Mandarin version of the book and a few excerpts of the English translation. Frankly, I do not think that the translation's doing the book justice. Fang Fang has a simplicity and unique Chinese humor in her writing that are lost from translation, which make the book less sincere. This is why I am giving the book four stars. But otherwise I think this is a wonderful and honest book. Her most amazing talent, I think, is that she uses everyday events to convey the emotion of the masses. For example, she notes that at one point people's emotions become numb from losing so many loved ones to coronavirus (almost every one knows someone who died from the virus) to the point that people can't even cry anymore. Instead, they channel their fury to cursing the incompetent government both online and offline. This is actually a brilliant way of criticizing the lack of freedom of speech in the Chinese society. The people of Wuhan has obviously realized this when the death toll in the city soared, all because the provincial government and the so-called "experts" attempt to cover up the severity of the disease from public. On the other hand, Fang Fang brings up the memes that Chinese people created online, as well as the heart-warming support within individual communities/neighborhoods to show optimism and stamina that the Chinese people displayed during this time of crisis, which make the situation more bearable.

As I have said before, this diary is a honest narrative, providing us a glimpse into Wuhan during its lockdown. The writing is not perfect (understandable, since it's all written online with little furnishing), but the raw emotions that it conveys make this book worth a read. It's also interesting to see how many more Chinese people are beginning to realize the importance of freedom of speech through this incident, and are brave enough to speak up, to encourage each other, and to criticize the authority for its wrongdoings. This is a valuable lesson that both the CCP and the Chinese people need to learn, because we can't afford another pandemic like this again. Hopefully, after this incident, the Chinese people can finally earn their freedom of speech (or at least a bit more). ...more

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May 17, 2020 Cong Han rated it really liked it

It's a shame and sad that Fang Fang couldn't publish the Chinese version. ...more

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Jun 04, 2020 Marks54 rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I was not sure that I would like this. It is one of many related books being produced in near real time during the course of the pandemic and the hype that went with the announcement of its translation made me wonder whether it would be worthwhile on its own merits. My worries were groundless and I heartily enjoyed the book.

First, lets be clear on what this is and it is not. This is not a specialized study or tract on the initial ravages of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan. The author is a superb I was not sure that I would like this. It is one of many related books being produced in near real time during the course of the pandemic and the hype that went with the announcement of its translation made me wonder whether it would be worthwhile on its own merits. My worries were groundless and I heartily enjoyed the book.

First, lets be clear on what this is and it is not. This is not a specialized study or tract on the initial ravages of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan. The author is a superb and accomplished writer - and it shows - but she is not a medical professional or even a science writer like Gina Kolata. Wuhan Diary is a book form version of an online diary that the author maintained for 60 days during the course of the quarantine in Wuhan - the action that startled observers in the West and introduced them to what would follow here once the virus got established outside of China. This was not a freestanding book form diary to start with. Instead, it was produced on a daily basis through postings on social media in China. Fang Fang was not the only person keeping track of their experiences but her location, her timing, and her considerable skills, coupled with the initial chaos and fear regarding the virus, earned her millions of followers worldwide as well as a huge number of detractors. (I realize that internet chat rooms are notoriously nasty places everywhere, but even so it seems that she has had to battle...)

There is not much of a plot. Virus comes. Preventative steps are put into place. Virus rages. People start to suffer from long periods of near isolation. Virus continues to rage. Repeat above ... In the course of chronicling all of this, Fang Fang manages to keep a number of stories going, including what she hears about the pandemic from her interpersonal network of friends and acquaintances, developments within her own life and personal circle, how various quarantine related issues develop (food, medicine, medical care, her dog, etc.).

In the midst of all of this, she thinks long and hard about what is happening, what is the right thing to do, what the government (central and local) is and is not doing, and how she is holding up. She even reflects on a long life that has spanned the cultural revolution, governmental reforms, and the economic boom. Imagine the changes she has witnessed. In all of this, she displays a strong ethical and moral position and is not afraid of anyone (apparently). She decries government inaction and inflexibility and wonders if and when politicians and administrators will ever be held accountable for the destruction caused by the virus. When her posts are taken down (which happens regularly) she fights to get them reposted. When she gets attacked and smeared by internet trolls, she responds and gives no quarter. She is not anti-government either and seems more interested in reform and improved sensitivity to people. I am sure there are backstories on particular events, but this is the impression that comes across. Fang Fang appears to be prudent on some matters and how they are discussed.

The most interesting part of the book for me comes through a comparison of the dates of the diary entries and what was going on in the US at the same time. When the lockdown began in late January, the virus still was not real in the US. When the quarantine in Wuhan was completed in late March, this was just when various SAH orders and social distancing protocols were getting started in the US. The diary traces the general path that we have just gone through in the US (it is now June 6). They had gone through what we were just starting to go through.

It is striking to compare recent experiences with the virus here with what happened during the quarantine in Wuhan, as related in the diary. Yes, I know that there are big differences between the US and China. Even so, the similarities in some issues are striking. Early on, there are problems that many here can relate to. Where do I get masks? Which masks should I get? Why do these &%@%# vendors charge so much? How can they get away with it? Where do I get food if I am stuck in my building? Where do I get my meds for recurring medical needs? What do I do if an elder parent becomes ill or even dies? How can I have a memorial service for the family (or close friends) in the midst of this quarantine? Why is the quarantine taking so long? How do I handle my growing depression?

Sound familiar?

Her writing is crisp and clear. Kudos to the translator. While there is a lot to complain about, it is also apparent that Fang Fang is trying to look on the bright side of things and look forward to life after the zero infection threshold has been reached. I see more than a little positivity and even optimism in the book. This is a very personal account.

Some of the differences are intriguing. There is relatively less on the dynamics of pandemics than is present in other accounts. The quarantine is supposed to work but it is not clear why, given that there is not a vaccine or treatment at present. Is it an effort to build herd immunity? Not clear at all. Perhaps those in charge were also trying to figure things out. There is relatively little on assumptions about why the virus works as it does. Are masks required to protect you or others who encounter you?

In one small example, towards the end of the diary, she mentions some friends/acquaintances who contracted the virus while attending some large functions scheduled at a time when they probably should not have been scheduled. While this criticism is justified, in the particular example two of the individuals sang in a chorus at these functions (and likely practiced beforehand). It is becoming better known to us that such situations (choirs, choruses) can themselves be occasions for transmitting the virus to others in the group.

While there are more than a few criticisms of authorities in the diary, this does not come across as an anti-government screed. Macro politics are not on the table and that is wise. I can get caught up on inter-governmental mudslinging from other sources. Global political rhetoric would detract from the deep value present in the diary.

I long ago passed the time when I could see myself learning Chinese and at times like those of the pandemic I regret that. It would have been good to read Fang Fang’s diary entries as they were initially published and responded to. If I cannot have that, then this version will have to do - and that is a good outcome for western readers. ...more

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Jun 07, 2020 Denise rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2020

This book started life as an online diary kept by Chinese writer Fang Fang throughout the Covid-19 lockdown imposed on Wuhan beginning in late January 2020. Chronicling life on the ground at the heart of the outbreak that has now spread around the world, she writes on everything from the difficulties of everyday routines such as shopping amid shortages, the fear and uncertainty in the face of a new disease about which little was known and less shared with the public, the spread of information an ...more

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Apr 08, 2020 Ning Gu rated it did not like it

the book is about a lie in wuhan, its author FangFang combines her friends'news(not real) and the suspicion of the GOV, and builds the lie in wuhan. So if read the book, readers should know what you want to know in wuhan, if the reality, please read the newspapers and choose the fair self-media. In my eyes , the book reflects the some OUT-OF-TIMEs in china is lack of understanding about the reality, and distort the truth. And have to say that the literarary world in china looks a bit depraved, j ...more

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Sep 07, 2020 Shirley rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020, plague-book-club

First person account of the Wuhan lockdown by a celebrated Chinese novelist living there. Don't expect anything fully comprehensive - it felt more like a daily chat show, covering both day to day matters in her life and her take on what she heard in the news, with surprisingly scathing criticism of government response. I don't feel like social media updates always translate so well into book form - she frequently references responses to her posts elsewhere online and viral news stories - and it' ...more

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Apr 08, 2020 Lee rated it liked it

It's unfair to describe such a biased situation in Wuhan. There were some real stories, but not all complete. The author has just written what she wants to write. There were more good things happened there-a little girl recovering from surfing the coronavirus said she thanked the all medical workers for Wuhan people; the nurses led patients dance to cheer them up… I hope there will be something comprehensive to tell the World what had happen in Wuhan and how Chinese government dealt with the ene ...more

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May 20, 2020 Peter Tillman marked it as to-read

Shelves: history, bios-memoirs, prob-won-t-read, new-tbp

Good review of Fang Fang's book by Dwight Garner, my wife's fave NYT reviewer: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/15/bo...
Excerpt:
"This is an important and dignified book that nonetheless, in this adept translation by Michael Barry, has its share of dead space and repetition. “Wuhan Diary” would have been twice as good at half the length. It’s a bit easier to praise, as Tom Wolfe said of the William Shawn-era New Yorker, than it is to read. Still, the urgency of this account is impossible to deny.

T ...more

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Aug 03, 2020 Esther King rated it it was ok

I found this to be a read which teeters awkwardly between being a piece of what is essentially living history and being a hurried translation of a somewhat nationalistic diary with a lot of bias. It’s not an easy book to define- but it’s also not one that’s particularly remarkable. I was left hanging on, waiting for more- not so much regarding government criticism, but regarding anything.

We don’t hear much of the author’s family, nor the thoughts and feelings of people during isolation. Some sto ...more

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Apr 20, 2020 Owlseyes marked it as to-read

Shelves: coronavirus-in-wuhan

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/polit... ...more

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Jul 20, 2020 CJ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: zhong-guo, no-one-is-an-island, on-lookout-for-copy

While the space for cross-border Chinese-US citizen movements looks incredibly slim, Fang Fang's diary lays out themes for what could be a common platform:

- Accountability from leaders
- Collective mourning for the catastrophe of preventable deaths + recognition of collective trauma
- Resisting the use of nationalism as a distracting tactic (particularly online inflammation)

Recommend starting with a jump to the March 10 entry (p.213) where Fang Fang explains the motivation for the diary, describin ...more

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Sep 05, 2020 Katie Wu rated it liked it

A raw and brave account of the city of Wuhan's 76 day lockdown from January to March 2020. This was humbling and extremely difficult to read. Originally published on Chinese social media platforms like Wechat and Weibo in installments at the end of each day, Fang Fang's diary reached readership in the millions as she emerged as a voice among residents struggling to manage the boredom and terror of the age of the coronavirus. I appreciated the generosity with which she shares her anxiety and logs A raw and brave account of the city of Wuhan's 76 day lockdown from January to March 2020. This was humbling and extremely difficult to read. Originally published on Chinese social media platforms like Wechat and Weibo in installments at the end of each day, Fang Fang's diary reached readership in the millions as she emerged as a voice among residents struggling to manage the boredom and terror of the age of the coronavirus. I appreciated the generosity with which she shares her anxiety and logs the quotidian aspects of life under lockdown, and also the rigor with which she shares news headlines and specialist reports as the city, and the world, begin to understand the virus's toll. What a historical record, what a gift. Best of all, it starts and ends. Though life in Wuhan is not nearly back to normal, I felt a sort of calm in that realization that our present "normal" is and will always be an episode we will one day be able to look back on.

As her readership grows, so too do her attackers in full force. My largest feeling after finishing the diary is this: as she dodges and at times, confronts head on, internet trolls and stringent Chinese censorship, she becomes a guiding voice during global tragedy that we've yet to see in the United States. I cannot even comprehend how unusual and brave this account is given the political environment in which she writes, and continues to write. Her early observations become a cautionary tale, a projection into the US’s future 5 months from when she started. Calls for accountability - in her case, Wuhan officials who, for 20 days, withheld knowledge of the coronavirus and declared it "controllable and preventable" - are the crux of the second half of the diary. Her anger, and her readers' anger, is palpable as she demands this accountability. Maybe I've been living under a rock, but who else in the US is demanding that apologies for the missteps of the past several months from our local, state and national leaders will be the only way forward in national healing?

I can't say I enjoyed this book, but I found myself searching to find another reading experience so affirming. I recognize that the way that I read this diary is not the way that it was meant to be consumed - as lifeline installments to the residents of Wuhan, and in doses. And in the online world of comment sections. I took my time as her entries reflect, appropriately so, the absolutely excruciating unfolding of all of our lives under quarantine. It is (as our lives have become) well... extremely repetitive. The new way that I'm now able to approach our situation, however - reminding myself of Fang Fang's descriptions of collective sacrifice and mutual aid to neighbors reflected in the culture of Wuhan - was hopeful and a sort of comfort. ...more

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May 24, 2020 K rated it it was ok

Shelves: emmm

Have read the whole thing in Fangfang's original language (Chinese) because "oh it is such an amazing story" media's been talking about and I happened to be able to read Chinese as one of my chosen languages to study.

Well, it's her freedom to write what she wants, but she might as well need to do some fact-checking before she decides to write this supposedly informative piece and publish to Western audiences, who have no idea what's going on. Her words would be taken as gospel truth outside of Have read the whole thing in Fangfang's original language (Chinese) because "oh it is such an amazing story" media's been talking about and I happened to be able to read Chinese as one of my chosen languages to study.

Well, it's her freedom to write what she wants, but she might as well need to do some fact-checking before she decides to write this supposedly informative piece and publish to Western audiences, who have no idea what's going on. Her words would be taken as gospel truth outside of China... she fully knows the impact and keeps playing on words. I remain doubtful of her intentions.

I actually follow her Weibo. So don't discredit me right away. She was on social media and retweeting (She doesn't use Twitter, but you get what I mean) random news articles, but has only found out some early facts when netizens shove them down her throat way after she publishes the diary. I don't know if she would make changes or add some footnotes to correct her mistakes. Hope she does so.

Also, she's rich af. Has relations within CCP. Lives in a grand house. Whether or not her views represent Chinese commoners is doubtful. Readers should take into their consideration while reading this diary.

______
Update 26 June 2020: Our netizens on Weibo has found out Fang Fang has six different private real estates. Wow. Wonder where that money comes from when property price in China is almost $4000 per square meter...
______

So yeah, my review. I do not have these "corona-heroine-fangfang" fan lenses on, so it's just "okay". The mainstream media's blowing up it way too much, saying she's the "most acclaimed Chinese writer" when nobody's ever heard of her in or outside of China before this crisis. But apparently, it fits their agenda, and the audience love a Katniss-Everdeen-heroine story against "evil CCP" Snow, so whatever.

I've got my popcorns.

Fangfang's got a lot of fans in China too. Feel free to worship her work. I respect your opinion.

Also #Pray4Wuhan and #Pray4theWorld.
Quarantine is almost over and I am optimistic. Although I don't want to go back to school. :( ...more

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Aug 04, 2020 Drtaxsacto rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wuhan Diary is 60 posts by a Chinese author named Fang Fang about her experiences related to the COVID outbreak in the City of Wuhan (on Hubei Province on the Yangtze River).

It has several characteristics that are interesting. First, since I do not read Chinese, I suspect the translator, Michael Berry, is either very skilled or she is an elegant writer (I think probably both!). Berry says he did about 5000 words a day in translation yet the rhythm of the language is beautiful. The dispatches giv ...more

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May 24, 2020 Amanda rated it it was amazing

This was a very raw and heart wrenching account of life in Wuhan during the recent lock down to contain the Covid-19 virus. Fang Fang is beyond courageous when she cries out for justice: “as a Wuhan citizen who has been quarantined here for two months, as someone who has personally experienced and witnessed this tragedy that befell Wuhan, we have a responsibility and a duty to seek justice for those wronged souls. Whoever made mistakes and whoever is responsible, those are the people who should ...more

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May 20, 2020 Stefani marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Is it just me, or do all the 1 star reviews with nearly identical language make you want to read this more? It does me. I see you CCP apologists.

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Jun 09, 2020 Sreeram rated it really liked it

This is a genre of books that is likely to catch on considering the times we live in. But it was interesting to read the daily travails of an elderly writer in China during the 60 days of quarantine imposed in Wuhan. Lots of insights about life in China, what with the censorship and the constant state of vigilance.

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May 21, 2020 Kalisha Buckhanon rated it it was amazing

Brave, outstanding, non-conscientious, salvaging. Wuhan Diary will be studied for its reflection of insurgent life energy and documentation of a human mind in flux in the ranks of Iris Murdoch's Jackson's Dilemma, Joan Didion's Year of Magical Thinking and Sonali Deraniyagala's Wave. ...more

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Sep 28, 2020 Carolyn Klassen rated it liked it

Shelves: own-voices, diverse-books, 2020

Wuhan Diary by Fang Fang was a glimpse into the beginning of our new world. This is a first-hand account of the disbelief and uncertainty of the early days of COVID-19. This is a diary from one of China's most beloved writers though it's the first from her that I've ever read. Spanning about three months, Fang writes about the public, medical, and governmental reactions and response to the coronavirus and the phases of the lockdown that happened in the Chinese province where she has lived for de Wuhan Diary by Fang Fang was a glimpse into the beginning of our new world. This is a first-hand account of the disbelief and uncertainty of the early days of COVID-19. This is a diary from one of China's most beloved writers though it's the first from her that I've ever read. Spanning about three months, Fang writes about the public, medical, and governmental reactions and response to the coronavirus and the phases of the lockdown that happened in the Chinese province where she has lived for decades. This book, despite being one woman's experience written in a short period of time and a small amount of space, relies on early observations from friends in the medical field, news reports (false and accurate), hateful and supportive comments on her diary entries, rumours, and videos to build a picture of Wuhan's millions in isolation. It felt like she made an effort to represent the emotions, thoughts, and concerns of the people of her city, not just her own privileged perspective. It was too long with lots of repetitive thoughts and refrains.

This is a diary, of course. Just compiled together thoughts that probably were repetitively chiming through her mind. Very little if any editing has taken place to make this volume more cohesive and "narrative-like". That being said, some parts of this were poetic and emotionally heavy. When Dr Li Wenliang, an early death in the coronavirus crisis who is seen as a whistleblower about the spread and severity of the illness, died, Fang Fang's reaction to his loss was beautiful and affecting. "During the afternoon someone here in Wuhan was heard screaming, "The people of Wuhan will take care of Li Wenliang's family!" There are many people who share that sentiment. To commemorate Dr. Li, tonight everyone in Wuhan plans to turn off their lights, then at exactly the time he passed away overnight, we will shine flashlights or cellphone lights into the sky while whistling for him. During this dark, heavy night, Li Wenliang will be our light. This quarantine has been going on so long now, what else can the people of Wuhan do to release the depression, sadness, and anger in their hearts? Perhaps this is all we can do."

If you're curious about the perspective of a moderate Wuhanese perspective of the pandemic that affects us all, I recommend this title. ...more

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Nov 30, 2020 Zoë S. Roy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I read Fang Fang’s daily writing during Wuhan’s lockdown. Because of Michael Berry’s excellent translation, Wuhan Diary: Dispatches from a Quarantined City has reached readers in English. Fang Fang has been a novelist for over three decades in China. She lives in Wuhan where Covid-19 started. During Wuhan’s lockdown, the author began to write what she felt and knew about the Covid situation in Wuhan and her concern about the people. She started on Jan. 25 and posted her writing online, one piece ...more

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Sep 03, 2020 Mbgirl rated it liked it

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I owe a serious debt of gratitude to Prof. Berry, without whose goodwill and desire to help, this account and record simply would be withheld from the world’s eyes, writ large. The concluding last pages really moved me. Thank you for what must have been a very nuanced translation, especially that this was a woman’s journal entries.

Feel so fortunate to have had a firsthand testimonial of the “inside”, before the world was awakened to a very “dark night of the soul”. Fang fang is a hero, for she ...more

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Jun 20, 2020 Nikhil rated it really liked it

It is a very relevant book to read in these times. It talks about how the daily happenings of the lockdown period when the coronavirus unfolded in Wuhan.

The author (Fang Fang) of the book started writing dairies on daily happenings. Soon, she gathered a massive reader base and this book is the English translation of the diaries, which were originally published in Chinese.

Fang Fang became more than anyone else, a voice which people could look to for an honest appraisal of what was happening every ...more

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Aug 03, 2020 Jesse rated it really liked it

It being China, a raised eyebrow is required before reading any account of anything important there. This is not a country known for freedom of speech and the press and is known for proactively seeking to curtail both. I was not familiar with Fang Fang so I did a little research before reading to ensure I wasn’t dealing with a government shill. Fortunately, it seemed clear she was anti-censorship and advocated transparency and asked China to stop censoring internet accounts.

In the book, Fang Fa ...more

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About Fang Fang

Fang Fang

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Fang Fang graduated from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Wuhan University in 1982. She has published nearly seventy novels, novellas and essay collections. Many of her novels and novellas were published overseas in English, French, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, Korean and other languages. Her representative works include the novels Chronicle of Wuni Lake and Water under the Tim ...more

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Chronicle of Wuni Lake /Peoples Literature Publishing House Cultural Series

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“When the world of officialdom skips over the natural process of competition, it leads to disaster; empty talk about political correctness without seeking truth from facts also leads to disaster; prohibiting people from speaking the truth and the media from reporting the truth leads to disaster; and now we are tasting the fruits of these disasters, one by one.” — 3 likes

“We need to hold those people in charge who were negligent, irresponsible, or simply failed to act accountable for the harm they caused. These cases need to be rigorously pursued, and none of those parties responsible should be allowed to weasel their way out of this.” — 2 likes

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