This book portrays the authentic thoughts of a teenager in Beijing during the 1960s and ’70s. After reading it, I could no longer approach life with a carefree attitude—and I didn’t want to. Every word in his writing compelled me to accept that people of conscience must carry their burdens, and that individuals bear a moral responsibility toward history. In my eyes, Chen Kaige’s prose is no less powerful than Lu Xun’s. After finishing the book, I regretted that he hadn’t written more—but perhaps, like his films, one work is enough.
The best book about Cultural Revolution. It's only about tragedies, mistakes, regrets and powerless. Ordinary people can do nothing and only endure the miseries of life.