A Chinese Life

The inkbrush art style really calls back to ancient calligraphic traditions while framing an account of one person who lived through the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and Deng's Reform Movement. It also remains authentically personal with memorable characters, settings, (and food) set across over 50 years of a life.While Otie and Li take pains to keep the work neutral especially for the first two-thirds of this great volume, bear in mind that Li was a member of the state at varying levels and a believer in many of the ideas although he also maintains a very pragmatic perspective on both the big picture and the effects on the individual.It's probably one of the best autobiographical works, graphic novel or not, I've read and absolutely recommended whether your interest is in China, the art, a life, or many of the other rich themes this work explores.

I'm already 150 pages into this book after my first sit down with it, and I love it. The story goes into detail about the life of a young Chinese citizen and their role during the Cultural Revolution. Illustrations are done well and the dialogue is great. I will definitely be reading more graphic novels by this author.I will say that it helps to have some idea of Chinese History to fully grasp and understand this story, or even believe that it actually happened. There are some parts of this story that will make your jaw drop. Perfect for any history lover or someone interested in Asian culture.

A nice collaboration between a Chinese artist and a French collaborator ( it is so easy to use the word collaborator when speaking about all things French!)Fascinating to hear about life in China from the point of view of a son of the privileged. I highly recommend this book as a good tool to put together the mosaic that is so foreign to most of us.

A great book, great drawings, worth while, beauty of drawings in this graphic novel was so moving. Its a wonderful history of China contemporary with great turns and changes and unexpected outcomes. I loved the book and highly recommend it.

As a teacher of modern Chinese History, I cannot recommend this graphic novel too much both in terms of its content and the arresting quality of its graphic art. I have read few things that conveyed so well the tremendous changes endured (and also enjoyed) by the Chinese people over the last 64 years.

The writing is comic book writing, and I was hoping for something that would sweep me away. I assumed it was directed at a younger audience because it is a comic book but the subject matter is complex and disturbing, without being redeeming in the end. I skimmed only, and was not drawn in. The book has gotten some good reviews, it is an expose of sorts, and highlights hypocrisy, moral corruption and disillusionment, on a personal scale, and I was hoping for something broad and sweeping. Perhaps the genre doesn't allow that sort of thing....

I am so happy to know this book. Each anecdote helps me to understand Modern Chinese history and cultural background.

This graphic novel is more than a comic. It's a historic document. The explanation about the chinese life is awesome, also, the drawing style is unique. Five stars rating.

The first part (ca 450 pages) about the cultural revolution was ok. The last 200 or so pages about the period from 1980 to 1990 was unreadable. It was difficult to separate the caracters and not much of a story at all (except his trip to Paris).

ein sehr interessanter Einblick in ein langes, hartes Leben in China. Und wie viel Arbeit, so ein Buch zu zeichnen. Spannend ist es auch...

Li Kunwu describes very accurately how China was by the 50's. we can finally have a non politically compromised statement of China's nature from a Chinese.