Do Not Say We Have Nothing

By: Madeleine Thien

Narrated by: Angela Lin

Madeleine Thien's new novel is breathtaking in scope and ambition, even as it is hauntingly intimate. With the ease and skill of a master storyteller, Thien takes us inside an extended family in China, showing us the lives of two successive generations - those who lived through Mao's Cultural Revolution in the mid-20th century; and the children of the survivors, who became the students protesting in Tiananmen Square in 1989, in one of the most important political moments of the past century. With exquisite writing sharpened by a surprising vein of wit and sly humor, Thien has crafted unforgettable characters who are by turns flinty and headstrong, dreamy and tender, foolish and wise.

©2016 Madeleine Thien (P)2016 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"This audiobook marries a haunting, compelling story and a memorable performance by its narrator. Angela Lin reads with assurance, confidence, and a gentleness that captures the mood of the story.... Lin also uses her impeccable Chinese language skills to pronounce the names and keywords that dot the text, lending credibility and atmosphere to this lyrical audiobook." ( AudioFile)

Devastating and complex

Would you consider the audio edition of Do Not Say We Have Nothing to be better than the print version?

I had a conversation with a friend who read the book. I had no idea how one could read it, given all the subtleties of the Chinese language that were brilliantly narrated. My friend had no idea how one could listen to it, because it was such a complicated story.

Would you be willing to try another book from Madeleine Thien? Why or why not?

I would possibly try a future book by this author, but not soon.

Which scene was your favorite?

There was a beautiful scene of a noodle-selling woman who offered hungry student protesters something to eat for free. It was all she had to offer. The tenderness of the exchange and conversation was uplifting in the midst of a confrontation that lacked humanity and decency.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was struck by the random violence and targeted violence of mobs and political movements that care nothing and know nothing about the lives they destroy. Deep meaningful life is sacrificed for political ideologies and slogans that get repeated but no one really knows what they mean. The fear of being a thinking creative person in times of revolution was palpable. Thien's writing pulls the listener into the dread and danger of daily living without falling into graphic descriptions of violence.

Any additional comments?

I do have to admit, a lot of the long expositions and explanations of music, math and literature were lost on me. It was not an easy book to follow, but its subject matter and characters will stay with me.

Beautiful

Beautifully written. The language is so descriptive. Loved listening to this. It is like listening to a symphony.

This should have won the 2016 Man Booker

It is one thing to read nonfiction and journalism about a tragic event. And it is quite another to read fiction based on it. The former, well, informs with the help of hindsight. But fiction, on the other hand, transports you into the world of story as it happens--and in so doing you empathize with the characters who lived and died thirty years ago when a government turned its own tanks upon their own people. If the Mandate of Heaven is a thing, then, surely, June, 4, 1989 heralds the day of its revocation.

Story is sluggish at times

Substantial portions of the story are interesting, elegant, and/or dramatic but there are big sections where the plot grinds to a halt in favour of, in my opinion, overly long philosophizing about classical music, politics, etc. The excellent performance could not overcome this. I'm generally a patient person but it got to be too much for me and I didn't abandoned the book in Chapter 9.

Beautiful, enrapturing story

This books is incredible. The story beautifully interweaves many characters, places, time periods, and themes. It’s long, but so worth the listen. A truly moving story, and wonderful audio performance. All the stars.