Land of Big Numbers: Stories

"Land of Big Numbers" is an excellent collection of short stories from Te-Ping Chen. Set in China and the U. S., the stories center on lower middle class people who lead lives of quiet - almost - desperation. The settings are mainly malls, apartment blocks, and office towers in the new China, with most of the characters one generation removed from more traditional villages and ways of life. The author presents the characters' small victories, defeats, compromises, and struggles with sympathy, allowing their dignity to show. Her writing is sharp, and her observations keen and insightful. The stories are a pleasure to read. Some of the stories struck me as somber, telling the stories of marginalized and anonymous characters living on the fringes of a society predominantly dedicated to "progress" in the form of economic development and the accumulation of wealth. In that sense, the stories say as much about life in America as about life in China.

This is a fascinating selection of short stories! I really enjoyed each one though some were sad or troubled. Each one did a good job of portraying a certain aspect of China, from its political views, culture, or history. They were all thought provoking and I know I will keep thinking about certain short stories for awhile. That is definitely the mark of a good book! I think my favorite one was New Fruit which had a nice fantastical touch to it with the fruit that brings memories and how that affected the people of that area. Another good one was Gubeikou Spirit which definitely had its surreal moments with the people being stuck in the train station for months for no discernable reason. This was definitely a quick read over one day for me, even when I slowed down to try to savor each story. I will certainly read this again and I look forward to sharing it with my family because I know they would like it too.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book is very intriguing. I love the themes and settings. Typically, I tend to not enjoy books of short stories as it makes me feel disjointed and as though I am missing parts of the story. However, these are stories that really stick with you after you read them. The subject matter in intense at times and heartbreaking at others. The author introduces you to remarkable characters over and over again throughout all 10 short stories inside. None of the stories are connected by anything other than their own humanity and the country itself. None of the stories are very cheerful or happy, but they are both realistic and magical at times. Like it's characters and locations, the stories and situations are widely diverse. The areas that I usually find lacking in most short story collections are simply not found here.