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遙遠的向日葵地
──所有人只熱衷於捕捉向日葵金色的輝煌瞬間，無人在意金色之外的來龍去脈──
在新疆阿勒泰的土地上，
生命最終都會像第四次播種才出芽的向日葵，頑強地從磽薄土壤裡長出來。
李娟母親在新疆阿勒泰的烏倫古河南岸承租了一片土地，在這片貧瘠的高地上，艱困的農牧日子不停行進著。農牧生活，看天吃飯。常有鵝喉羚、牛群偷偷啃食作物，不時又是缺水、老頭斑等天災搗亂。但與母親、外婆、醜醜、賽虎、兔子和雞鴨鵝們一起發生的鮮活趣事，讓平凡的向日葵地，蔓開了截然不同的生機。
自母親出發，接續《記一忘三二》裡的形象，看見李娟生動描繪這名堅毅而幽默的女子，以自身哲學抵抗生存之難，讓苦哈哈的日子變得「稍微可口」一些；外婆這輩子白手起家無數次，卻在九十多歲的人生當口，跟隨女兒在荒地上住起「地窩子」。葬禮那日，孫女在悼詞內緘封了一枚眼淚，李娟知道，外婆的孤獨她從此就要繼承……；思考人和土地之間的關係，由百年前定居於此的第一批農人展現萬物生生不滅的強韌，從戈壁玉寫及比人類史更為久遠的洪荒，折射出她對自然與歷史的想像與敬意。
仍是熟悉的幽默明快筆觸，刻畫的卻不僅是歡樂細節，更多對自然和生命的憂慮與疑惑，透過哀婉的叩問，從極為遙遠的向日葵地，抵達每一縷仍對「生存」抱持熱情和希望的靈魂──即使殘酷，還是想要看見亮堂堂的金色花海──如此剔透的心願。
在新疆阿勒泰的土地上，
生命最終都會像第四次播種才出芽的向日葵，頑強地從磽薄土壤裡長出來。
李娟母親在新疆阿勒泰的烏倫古河南岸承租了一片土地，在這片貧瘠的高地上，艱困的農牧日子不停行進著。農牧生活，看天吃飯。常有鵝喉羚、牛群偷偷啃食作物，不時又是缺水、老頭斑等天災搗亂。但與母親、外婆、醜醜、賽虎、兔子和雞鴨鵝們一起發生的鮮活趣事，讓平凡的向日葵地，蔓開了截然不同的生機。
自母親出發，接續《記一忘三二》裡的形象，看見李娟生動描繪這名堅毅而幽默的女子，以自身哲學抵抗生存之難，讓苦哈哈的日子變得「稍微可口」一些；外婆這輩子白手起家無數次，卻在九十多歲的人生當口，跟隨女兒在荒地上住起「地窩子」。葬禮那日，孫女在悼詞內緘封了一枚眼淚，李娟知道，外婆的孤獨她從此就要繼承……；思考人和土地之間的關係，由百年前定居於此的第一批農人展現萬物生生不滅的強韌，從戈壁玉寫及比人類史更為久遠的洪荒，折射出她對自然與歷史的想像與敬意。
仍是熟悉的幽默明快筆觸，刻畫的卻不僅是歡樂細節，更多對自然和生命的憂慮與疑惑，透過哀婉的叩問，從極為遙遠的向日葵地，抵達每一縷仍對「生存」抱持熱情和希望的靈魂──即使殘酷，還是想要看見亮堂堂的金色花海──如此剔透的心願。
320 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
February 2, 2021
2021 has been another difficult year, but I’m very lucky to have the pleasure to read and review “Distant Sunflower Fields “.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Alain Charles Asia publishing for the opportunity 😃
This story takes place in a Chinese province of Xinjiang, where Juan describes her life with her mother, grandmother, the 2 dogs and all the attempts for a successful sunflower 🌻 plantation.
I absolutely adore this book, it should be included on “ Books you should read before you die “ list.
For almost 700 pages it’s impressive how the Author keep it light and enjoyable.
5 stars ⭐️
A big thank you to NetGalley and Alain Charles Asia publishing for the opportunity 😃
This story takes place in a Chinese province of Xinjiang, where Juan describes her life with her mother, grandmother, the 2 dogs and all the attempts for a successful sunflower 🌻 plantation.
I absolutely adore this book, it should be included on “ Books you should read before you die “ list.
For almost 700 pages it’s impressive how the Author keep it light and enjoyable.
5 stars ⭐️
March 14, 2021
In this book, we read about Li Juan, her mother and her grandmother (and two dogs, Chouchou and Saihu). The basic set up of the book is that mother has bought a yurt so that she can quickly move from place to place to plant (and, hopefully, harvest) the sunflowers of the title, and Li Juan, after the death of her grandmother, gives up her job in town to move back in with her family and support this farming work.
But this is not really a novel. For a start, most (if not all) of it is factual and it could be considered more a memoir or an autobiography covering a specific period of Li’s life. Also, it has no real plot, apart from the fact that it follows Li Juan’s experiences: it has more of a feel of a documentary as we are presented with a large number of relatively short chapters that show us episodes in Li’s life (there are photographs included in the book, as well, that show us some of the “action” unfolding). It is interesting to note that NetGalley (where I acquired my copy, with thanks to the publisher) has it filed under both “Biographies & Memoirs” and “Women’s Fiction”. I guess you would classify it as “creative non-fiction”: the book reads like fiction and, for readers reading it in this English translation, most of whom will have little or no knowledge of life in Xinjiang, it might as well be fiction. Li’s writing style makes it feel like a work of fiction even though she supports it with actual photographs of the characters involved.
There are, I think, three key elements to what we read. There’s the family history/relationships where we read about Li Juan, her mother and her grandmother. Through the course of the book, we get to know these women quite well, perhaps especially mother who is quite a character. Then there’s the insights into life in Xinjiang. It is undeniable that this family lives close to if not in poverty, and we watch as they struggle to make ends meet. And there’s the writing about nature which takes the form of both observations of the natural world and numerous chapters which are actually more philosophical, musing on man’s relationship with nature. There’s a shift in balance through the course of the book with the first half being more focused on the family and the second half containing more of the thinking on nature.
In addition to what is in this book, there’s also the matter of what is NOT in the book. Li gives the reader room to exercise their imagination and does not feel the need to fill in all the gaps. A lot of the backstory (what Li’s job was before she gave it up, why her mother decided to farm sunflowers, where all the rest of her family is) is left open for the reader to imagine (or not, depending on how your brain works).
This is a very atmospheric evocation of a very difficult life. To begin with, the family live in a hole in the ground that has been used by different families through the years, each putting their own roof on top. It is only when they discover that this is liable to flooding that mother decides to buy a yurt as something that is more substantial but also mobile, giving them the flexibility to move to where the work is. It is never certain that there will be enough cash available to put the next meal on the table and it is a very hand-to-mouth existence. But this does mean that Li’s life is lived in close contact with nature, so the meditations on nature fit in very, err, naturally.
This isn’t a book to read if you want a fast moving plot. It’s more about getting an insight into a way of life along with some thoughts that that way of life inspire about man’s relationship with our planet. And all this running in parallel with the relationships between three generations of women in a family.
A gentle but absorbing read.
But this is not really a novel. For a start, most (if not all) of it is factual and it could be considered more a memoir or an autobiography covering a specific period of Li’s life. Also, it has no real plot, apart from the fact that it follows Li Juan’s experiences: it has more of a feel of a documentary as we are presented with a large number of relatively short chapters that show us episodes in Li’s life (there are photographs included in the book, as well, that show us some of the “action” unfolding). It is interesting to note that NetGalley (where I acquired my copy, with thanks to the publisher) has it filed under both “Biographies & Memoirs” and “Women’s Fiction”. I guess you would classify it as “creative non-fiction”: the book reads like fiction and, for readers reading it in this English translation, most of whom will have little or no knowledge of life in Xinjiang, it might as well be fiction. Li’s writing style makes it feel like a work of fiction even though she supports it with actual photographs of the characters involved.
There are, I think, three key elements to what we read. There’s the family history/relationships where we read about Li Juan, her mother and her grandmother. Through the course of the book, we get to know these women quite well, perhaps especially mother who is quite a character. Then there’s the insights into life in Xinjiang. It is undeniable that this family lives close to if not in poverty, and we watch as they struggle to make ends meet. And there’s the writing about nature which takes the form of both observations of the natural world and numerous chapters which are actually more philosophical, musing on man’s relationship with nature. There’s a shift in balance through the course of the book with the first half being more focused on the family and the second half containing more of the thinking on nature.
In addition to what is in this book, there’s also the matter of what is NOT in the book. Li gives the reader room to exercise their imagination and does not feel the need to fill in all the gaps. A lot of the backstory (what Li’s job was before she gave it up, why her mother decided to farm sunflowers, where all the rest of her family is) is left open for the reader to imagine (or not, depending on how your brain works).
This is a very atmospheric evocation of a very difficult life. To begin with, the family live in a hole in the ground that has been used by different families through the years, each putting their own roof on top. It is only when they discover that this is liable to flooding that mother decides to buy a yurt as something that is more substantial but also mobile, giving them the flexibility to move to where the work is. It is never certain that there will be enough cash available to put the next meal on the table and it is a very hand-to-mouth existence. But this does mean that Li’s life is lived in close contact with nature, so the meditations on nature fit in very, err, naturally.
This isn’t a book to read if you want a fast moving plot. It’s more about getting an insight into a way of life along with some thoughts that that way of life inspire about man’s relationship with our planet. And all this running in parallel with the relationships between three generations of women in a family.
A gentle but absorbing read.
January 21, 2021
This book is beautifully written with a fine detail in almost every aspect. Li Juan writes with a calm and honest voice, her relationship with her hard working mother always at the forefront.
The book opens up the challenging culture of the rural setting where farmers fight against all the harsh elements of nature and sometimes the harsher discouragement of local rules and authorities.
The chapters are short and pleasant and many readers will find it an endearing read. I found that personally, I would have liked it more if it had been written in a linear way with a hook at the end of each chapter and a stronger development. However, I am sure that it will appeal to many and will be ideal for book clubs and discussion groups.
The book opens up the challenging culture of the rural setting where farmers fight against all the harsh elements of nature and sometimes the harsher discouragement of local rules and authorities.
The chapters are short and pleasant and many readers will find it an endearing read. I found that personally, I would have liked it more if it had been written in a linear way with a hook at the end of each chapter and a stronger development. However, I am sure that it will appeal to many and will be ideal for book clubs and discussion groups.
January 30, 2021
On the verge of the Gobi desert in the northwestern Chinese province of Xinjiang Li Juan and her mother attempt to nurture a small crop of sunflowers to maturity, against all the odds. Fighting against the arid climate, water shortages and rampaging herds of deer the pair managae against all the odds to eventually have a successful harvest. I found Li Juan's account of a very different and difficult way of life fascinating. Her observations of the natural world are so vivid that I could picture her surroundings clearly in my mind's eye. There were many humorous moments scattered throughout, most often involving at least one if not both of her mother's dogs, and I found myself chuckling more often than I had expected from the description of the book. I also loved reading about the relationships between the three generations of women, daughter, mother and grandmother , and there was a lot of honesty in the way these relationships were described. so the reader got to see the frustrations as well as the deep affection. On the downside, I do wish the author had followed a more linear structure , instead of jumping around the timeline so much, it made it a little more difficult to follow.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
January 23, 2021
I was lucky enough to get approval for an early copy of this beautiful book from NetGalley and Alain Charles Asia Publishing, so thank you to them!
•
“If it’s true that nature flourishes only in the depths where single rays of light reach, then humanity’s trundle across this earth is the extinguishing of that light”
•
I was quite cautious when I first requested this book, I’m not big on biography’s as such, but thought I’d try something different for a change. However, I was honestly blown away by this book, it didn’t feel like a biography at all!! You feel genuinely immersed within the pages, as if you’re there yourself, you’re living this life. As if you can feel the wind howling past you, feel the earth between your toes and bask in the golden hue of the sunflowers as they bloom before you.
•
I cannot express just how beautifully and eloquently written this book is. I found it soothing almost, to be able to imagine such a beautiful area of the world in your mind. I think it marks a truly profound writer to enable you to visualise every detail from words alone. It’s descriptive, but it doesn’t go past the point, it never feels like Li Juan is trying to just fill the pages with words. I didn’t find it to drag at all either, which I was worried about with it being over 600 pages long.
•
The chapters are really short and light, so easy read for those who may struggle with focusing for long periods of time. It’s also a book I feel like you can easily get back into after being away for a while.
•
Furthermore, I really enjoyed the rawness exhibited throughout, from her relationship with her mum, to the raw and unrelenting emotions that come with grieving some you love, how often you find yourself with regrets of what you could’ve done different, even though it’s impossible to change the past. It also has a few lessons in there, I found it quite eye opening of the way, a lot of us take farming (vegetables, flowers and even animals) for granted. Everything is so temporary but we all believe it’ll just always be there for us, we don’t really give a second thought to how much hard work has gone into the ability for these items to grow and flourish, so that we may eat them in bountiful amounts. Not only just from the farmers themselves (although they do a fantastic job) but from the earth as well and the elements, they play just as big a role, something that we don’t even take two seconds to appreciate or acknowledge.
•
Overall, I think this was an exceptional biography, and I’m so glad I came across it on NetGalley and gave it a chance! It’s been such a light hearted and yet, educational read. Filling me with comfort and joy (particularly with the chapters about Li Juan’s mum sewing clothes for the animals to protect them from mosquitoes and frostbite). I would recommend this to anyone who maybe wants to try something out of their comfort zone, or just wants to read something heartwarming. As a result, I’ve given this book 4.6/5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 5)
•
“If it’s true that nature flourishes only in the depths where single rays of light reach, then humanity’s trundle across this earth is the extinguishing of that light”
•
I was quite cautious when I first requested this book, I’m not big on biography’s as such, but thought I’d try something different for a change. However, I was honestly blown away by this book, it didn’t feel like a biography at all!! You feel genuinely immersed within the pages, as if you’re there yourself, you’re living this life. As if you can feel the wind howling past you, feel the earth between your toes and bask in the golden hue of the sunflowers as they bloom before you.
•
I cannot express just how beautifully and eloquently written this book is. I found it soothing almost, to be able to imagine such a beautiful area of the world in your mind. I think it marks a truly profound writer to enable you to visualise every detail from words alone. It’s descriptive, but it doesn’t go past the point, it never feels like Li Juan is trying to just fill the pages with words. I didn’t find it to drag at all either, which I was worried about with it being over 600 pages long.
•
The chapters are really short and light, so easy read for those who may struggle with focusing for long periods of time. It’s also a book I feel like you can easily get back into after being away for a while.
•
Furthermore, I really enjoyed the rawness exhibited throughout, from her relationship with her mum, to the raw and unrelenting emotions that come with grieving some you love, how often you find yourself with regrets of what you could’ve done different, even though it’s impossible to change the past. It also has a few lessons in there, I found it quite eye opening of the way, a lot of us take farming (vegetables, flowers and even animals) for granted. Everything is so temporary but we all believe it’ll just always be there for us, we don’t really give a second thought to how much hard work has gone into the ability for these items to grow and flourish, so that we may eat them in bountiful amounts. Not only just from the farmers themselves (although they do a fantastic job) but from the earth as well and the elements, they play just as big a role, something that we don’t even take two seconds to appreciate or acknowledge.
•
Overall, I think this was an exceptional biography, and I’m so glad I came across it on NetGalley and gave it a chance! It’s been such a light hearted and yet, educational read. Filling me with comfort and joy (particularly with the chapters about Li Juan’s mum sewing clothes for the animals to protect them from mosquitoes and frostbite). I would recommend this to anyone who maybe wants to try something out of their comfort zone, or just wants to read something heartwarming. As a result, I’ve given this book 4.6/5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 5)
February 19, 2021
有华彩的段落，但总体较平淡，和《走夜路请放声歌唱》相比，没那么有灵气了，走马观花结束。
February 9, 2021
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars.
This book was beautifully written. I had previously read another of Li Juan's books that had been translated into English, "Winter Pasture", and I found that I liked this one better, and that this translation seemed much smoother and easier to read for me.
The descriptions of the nature, especially, of course, the titular sunflower fields, were very evocative. I felt as if I was really there. This book also made me do my own research on the Xinjiang autonomous region of China where Li Juan is from.
It was also easy to read, because the chapters were quite short, and I found myself flying through it during my lunch break at work everyday.
All in all, a beautiful book that was a privilege to read. I would love to read Li Juan's other works when they are translated into English to learn more about the rural regions of China.
4.5 stars.
This book was beautifully written. I had previously read another of Li Juan's books that had been translated into English, "Winter Pasture", and I found that I liked this one better, and that this translation seemed much smoother and easier to read for me.
The descriptions of the nature, especially, of course, the titular sunflower fields, were very evocative. I felt as if I was really there. This book also made me do my own research on the Xinjiang autonomous region of China where Li Juan is from.
It was also easy to read, because the chapters were quite short, and I found myself flying through it during my lunch break at work everyday.
All in all, a beautiful book that was a privilege to read. I would love to read Li Juan's other works when they are translated into English to learn more about the rural regions of China.
October 20, 2025
非常好的书，预感是今年我最喜欢的中文作者，准备把她的一系列都看完。和外婆关系那段的书信描写令人动容。
May 16, 2023
3.4/5.
如果是第一次看李娟，应该会给4分。看完“我的阿勒泰”，再来看这个，鲜有惊喜。
-----
眼下世界里，青草顶天而生，爬虫昼追日，夜逐月。风是透明的河流，雨是冰凉的流星。
如果是第一次看李娟，应该会给4分。看完“我的阿勒泰”，再来看这个，鲜有惊喜。
-----
眼下世界里，青草顶天而生，爬虫昼追日，夜逐月。风是透明的河流，雨是冰凉的流星。
December 12, 2021
I saw a quote describing her writing as "as far outside of the system as Chinese writers are able to get and still publish" (New York Times, Eric Abrahamsen). That intrigued me completely and so I bought this book for $6 on my kindle. I wanted to read her other book "Winter Pasture" which is about the author - a Han Chinese woman - following Kazakh nomads in their winter season. But after this horrific doozy, I can't say I'll be rushing to buy another book by her.
The first few chapters were alright as she began to describe the environment around the Gobi desert, in the far North-West region of China, close to Kazakhstan. She writes self-deprecatingly and humorously about her aged grandmother, the dogs on their farm, her mother who likes to farm naked, the bleak environment, the hardships of farming, etc. But quickly the chapters lost chronological order and skipped between several different farms and different harvests. I had no idea why they were moving places and what happened to the other year of droughts and what happened to the farm next to the reservoir? And what did any of it matter?
Each chapter is titled for its subject and they all became so boring and pointless, there was no storyline at all:
Chapter 23: Chickens
Chapter 24: Ducks
Chapter 25: Rabbits
Chapter 32: Mobile Phone
Chapter 33: Stones
One of the worst parts of her writing was the dramatic, romantic attempts at poetry; to describe a long distance phone call with her mother and with poor reception: "It was a reply that came from the recesses of the universe, millions of light years away...a lonely answer from some creature lost in the abyss of space." To close a chapter in the middle of the book when the author has decided to move away (the motives for which are not described), she says, "And perhaps they are still there...alone...waiting for me."
The ellipses (...) are not added by me, rather, each page was full of them. Was it the translator adding them? They are distracting and confusing.
The first few chapters were alright as she began to describe the environment around the Gobi desert, in the far North-West region of China, close to Kazakhstan. She writes self-deprecatingly and humorously about her aged grandmother, the dogs on their farm, her mother who likes to farm naked, the bleak environment, the hardships of farming, etc. But quickly the chapters lost chronological order and skipped between several different farms and different harvests. I had no idea why they were moving places and what happened to the other year of droughts and what happened to the farm next to the reservoir? And what did any of it matter?
Each chapter is titled for its subject and they all became so boring and pointless, there was no storyline at all:
Chapter 23: Chickens
Chapter 24: Ducks
Chapter 25: Rabbits
Chapter 32: Mobile Phone
Chapter 33: Stones
One of the worst parts of her writing was the dramatic, romantic attempts at poetry; to describe a long distance phone call with her mother and with poor reception: "It was a reply that came from the recesses of the universe, millions of light years away...a lonely answer from some creature lost in the abyss of space." To close a chapter in the middle of the book when the author has decided to move away (the motives for which are not described), she says, "And perhaps they are still there...alone...waiting for me."
The ellipses (...) are not added by me, rather, each page was full of them. Was it the translator adding them? They are distracting and confusing.
April 5, 2018
一如既往地好。这本书里自我打趣的地方不多，看得出来，那段生活真的太沉重了。但还是有让人莞尔一笑的地方从李娟的笔下漏了出来，是无法被遮掩的面对生活的本心。
March 5, 2024
I couldn't finish the book. There was nothing compelling about the author or the story that could keep my attention after 135 pages of aimless prose. The author, herself, seemed bored in her own story.
July 15, 2021
Love this type of nature writing - very peaceful. I'd like to read the other book about her time with the Kazakh herders now!
January 29, 2018
这一次，李娟不仅仅写出了我无法到达和想象的遥远的生活，还有她作为耕种的旁观者和实施人的情感和反思，表达了向日葵美好象征之外的她的所思所想，不只是对自然对土地的思考，也有对生与死的思考，人与自然与土地的关系，人作为个人与亲人与旁人与一切的关系。整本书的思绪完整连续，也正如大自然起伏的山川，令人欲罢不能。有轻快的诙谐，也有沉重的悲哀，笑中带泪，是大地上每一个孤单的真实的人。
March 7, 2021
Maybe because I'm reading this book during the northern hemisphere planting season, while sorting seeds, turning beds, transplanting seedlings, I feel surrounded by the most nourishing prose in Li Juan's DISTANT SUNFLOWER FIELDS. At times meditative like journal passages, yet crafted with a poet's sensory images, each chapter in this memoir pulls my heart deeper into a place of balance with nature, family, and the passages of time. Li Juan spent several years with her mother tending a 90-acre plot of sunflowers. This book- Li Juan's first available in English--is about much more than a farmer's challenges.
Li Juan invites readers into an extremely isolated and fragile habitat, Xinjiang, a remote region of the PRC bordering current-day India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Russia and the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The territory is both desolate and rich with history, traversed by ancient Silk Road traders, a landscape where nomadic herders and farmers coexist with limited water and intense weather. And they've done so for centuries and centuries.
In short chapters of gorgeous language (translated by Christopher Payne) , Li Juan traces sacred pathways of water, known and imagined paths of her ancestors, and places in-between. The author ponders life's big questions and invites pandemic-quarantined travelers to explore a remarkable place while contemplating cycles of life, death, and being.
Enduring powers of nature, story, and indigenous life wisdom from DISTANT SUNFLOWER FIELDS resonate long and strong in my mind and heart. Offers sustenance to fans of BRAIDING SWEETGRASS by Native American Robin Wall Kimmerer, BLUE SKY KINGDOM by Bruce Kirkby, and LANDS OF LOST BORDERS by Kate Harris. I was also reminded more than once of Steinbeck's GRAPES OF WRATH. Gratitude to NetGalley for an ARC of this new translation.
Li Juan invites readers into an extremely isolated and fragile habitat, Xinjiang, a remote region of the PRC bordering current-day India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Russia and the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The territory is both desolate and rich with history, traversed by ancient Silk Road traders, a landscape where nomadic herders and farmers coexist with limited water and intense weather. And they've done so for centuries and centuries.
In short chapters of gorgeous language (translated by Christopher Payne) , Li Juan traces sacred pathways of water, known and imagined paths of her ancestors, and places in-between. The author ponders life's big questions and invites pandemic-quarantined travelers to explore a remarkable place while contemplating cycles of life, death, and being.
Enduring powers of nature, story, and indigenous life wisdom from DISTANT SUNFLOWER FIELDS resonate long and strong in my mind and heart. Offers sustenance to fans of BRAIDING SWEETGRASS by Native American Robin Wall Kimmerer, BLUE SKY KINGDOM by Bruce Kirkby, and LANDS OF LOST BORDERS by Kate Harris. I was also reminded more than once of Steinbeck's GRAPES OF WRATH. Gratitude to NetGalley for an ARC of this new translation.
March 5, 2021
Li Juan’s memoir chronicles her family’s painstaking efforts to grow a crop of sunflowers in the harsh rolling desert on china’s northwest frontier. At the mercy of unforgiving drought, sandstorms, locusts and crop eating gazelles, they manage to eke out an existence.
The endurance, dignity and strength of Li Juan, her tenacious mother and ageing grandmother are very humbling. As the author describes her spirited dogs’ antics, there is much humour and cheer in her conversational, colloquial narrative. However, underlying, there appears to be a well of self-reproach, restlessness and wistfulness in her writing. It is her lone walks and keen observations of the wild beauty in the surrounding land that seem to restore hope and anchor her to the earth. The descriptions are beautifully evocative, and she candidly expresses her reverence for the power of nature and awareness of how humanity has inhabited and “plundered” the land.
My favourite section is the very insightful afterword, which pulls together the author’s motivations and thoughts on the processes of writing and documenting through pictures the hopes and dreams of a family.
“Writing is akin to thrusting a spade into the ground, and shifting the earth to see what’s there underneath; it’s an adventure of discovery.”
Thank you Sinoist Books for this review copy in exchange for an honest opinion. I’m
really enjoying discovering new (to me) indie publishers and translated literature.
The endurance, dignity and strength of Li Juan, her tenacious mother and ageing grandmother are very humbling. As the author describes her spirited dogs’ antics, there is much humour and cheer in her conversational, colloquial narrative. However, underlying, there appears to be a well of self-reproach, restlessness and wistfulness in her writing. It is her lone walks and keen observations of the wild beauty in the surrounding land that seem to restore hope and anchor her to the earth. The descriptions are beautifully evocative, and she candidly expresses her reverence for the power of nature and awareness of how humanity has inhabited and “plundered” the land.
My favourite section is the very insightful afterword, which pulls together the author’s motivations and thoughts on the processes of writing and documenting through pictures the hopes and dreams of a family.
“Writing is akin to thrusting a spade into the ground, and shifting the earth to see what’s there underneath; it’s an adventure of discovery.”
Thank you Sinoist Books for this review copy in exchange for an honest opinion. I’m
really enjoying discovering new (to me) indie publishers and translated literature.
May 29, 2021
I am conflicted about how to express my experience with this book. It is a fascinating narrative (of the author's life), but it took me a long, long time to get to grips with the timing of the tale. There is a back and forth which goes on for quite a while till I was properly confused. The author spent a lot of time with her mother, some in the city and other parts travelling elsewhere. These are not chronologically placed, but even for artistic merit, I would have hoped for an alternating between city and current, but we only end up in a linear story by the time we reach the end.
This is all just how the content was placed. The individual chapters were unique and very colourful, and the translation seemed pretty well done. We have a family (or parts of it at a time) leading a life that seems unimaginable while reading it in a cozy room with things available on-demand or with a flick of a switch. She talks of her mother's fortitude, focus and stubbornness. At no time, even when she is most frustrated, do you ever question the fact that she likes her mother.
The life of a farmer in a remote location of the globe, with questionable facilities and changing company every season, forms the book's bulk. It provides a window into this completely different culture and all the weight that it holds. I just wish it had been easier to follow!
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley, the review is entirely based on my own reading experience of this book.
This is all just how the content was placed. The individual chapters were unique and very colourful, and the translation seemed pretty well done. We have a family (or parts of it at a time) leading a life that seems unimaginable while reading it in a cozy room with things available on-demand or with a flick of a switch. She talks of her mother's fortitude, focus and stubbornness. At no time, even when she is most frustrated, do you ever question the fact that she likes her mother.
The life of a farmer in a remote location of the globe, with questionable facilities and changing company every season, forms the book's bulk. It provides a window into this completely different culture and all the weight that it holds. I just wish it had been easier to follow!
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley, the review is entirely based on my own reading experience of this book.
November 25, 2024
我很喜歡這本。裡面有許多跟動物一起生活的情感（狗、貓、兔子、雞、鴨、蜜蜂..），跟家人相處的快樂、不得已及離別；當然還有在新疆辛苦種植向日葵時所見之廣闊自然。人的孤獨與含淚，其實是源自有太多豐富的感受。
摘句：
所謂「希望」，就是付出努力有可能比完全放棄強一點點。（災年）
人是被時間磨損的嗎？……不是的。人是被各種各樣的離別磨損的。（擅於到來的人和擅於離別的人）
我覺得外婆最終不是死於病痛與衰老的，而是死於等待。
每天我下班回家，走上三樓，她拄著拐棍準時出現在樓梯口。那是我今生今世所能擁有的最隆重的迎接。
（外婆的世界）
都說「人死如燈滅」，可外婆死了以後，她的燈才慢慢亮起，慢慢照亮我們最真實的內心，和我們往後的道路。（外婆的葬禮）
如果說作物的生長是地底深處黑暗裡唯一的光芒，那麼，那個人經過的大地，隨著他腳步的到來，一路熄燈。他的每一個腳印都是無底深淵。（大地）
我媽說：「哎，我的醜醜最好了。」我說：「就會惹禍，有什麼好的。」我媽說：「牠會趕黃羊。」我嗤之：「天啦，好大的本領。」她想了想，又說：「牠陪伴了我。」（闖禍精）
我媽心中喜悅。被一隻美麗的生命追隨，活在世上的辛勞與悲哀暫時後退。（兔子）
我獨自在蒙古包裡準備晚餐。揉麵，擀平，一張一張烙餅。雙手的力量不能改天換地，卻恰好能維持個體的生命。恰好能令糧食從大地中產出，食物從火爐上誕生。（火爐）
但還是覺得這種行為堪稱「壯舉」──帶著數萬蜜蜂在大地上流浪。
天空是第一重鍋蓋，「嗡嗡」聲是第二重。兩重鍋蓋扣在頭上，氣壓都變了，人很快燙了。先是耳膜燙，然後情緒燙。一直燙到天黑，睡眠都是滾燙的……（蜜蜂）
那時，我便想起外婆對我的等待。等待是植根於孤獨之中的植物吧？孤獨越強大，等待越茂盛。（等待）
它們遠不止開花時節燦爛壯美的面目，更多的時候還有等待、忍受與離別的面目。（後記）
摘句：
所謂「希望」，就是付出努力有可能比完全放棄強一點點。（災年）
人是被時間磨損的嗎？……不是的。人是被各種各樣的離別磨損的。（擅於到來的人和擅於離別的人）
我覺得外婆最終不是死於病痛與衰老的，而是死於等待。
每天我下班回家，走上三樓，她拄著拐棍準時出現在樓梯口。那是我今生今世所能擁有的最隆重的迎接。
（外婆的世界）
都說「人死如燈滅」，可外婆死了以後，她的燈才慢慢亮起，慢慢照亮我們最真實的內心，和我們往後的道路。（外婆的葬禮）
如果說作物的生長是地底深處黑暗裡唯一的光芒，那麼，那個人經過的大地，隨著他腳步的到來，一路熄燈。他的每一個腳印都是無底深淵。（大地）
我媽說：「哎，我的醜醜最好了。」我說：「就會惹禍，有什麼好的。」我媽說：「牠會趕黃羊。」我嗤之：「天啦，好大的本領。」她想了想，又說：「牠陪伴了我。」（闖禍精）
我媽心中喜悅。被一隻美麗的生命追隨，活在世上的辛勞與悲哀暫時後退。（兔子）
我獨自在蒙古包裡準備晚餐。揉麵，擀平，一張一張烙餅。雙手的力量不能改天換地，卻恰好能維持個體的生命。恰好能令糧食從大地中產出，食物從火爐上誕生。（火爐）
但還是覺得這種行為堪稱「壯舉」──帶著數萬蜜蜂在大地上流浪。
天空是第一重鍋蓋，「嗡嗡」聲是第二重。兩重鍋蓋扣在頭上，氣壓都變了，人很快燙了。先是耳膜燙，然後情緒燙。一直燙到天黑，睡眠都是滾燙的……（蜜蜂）
那時，我便想起外婆對我的等待。等待是植根於孤獨之中的植物吧？孤獨越強大，等待越茂盛。（等待）
它們遠不止開花時節燦爛壯美的面目，更多的時候還有等待、忍受與離別的面目。（後記）
February 12, 2021
Distant Sunflower Fields reads not only as a biography but also as a nature documentary, and a mini history lesson.
From the steppes of the Gobi Desert, we meet Li Juan,and her mother, on their small plot of land. Surrounded by chickens, rabbits, two dogs, and hardscrabble earth,sunflower fields are planted, cared for and ultimately harvested.
This book is ultimately a story of unwavering strength and fortitude in the face of great difficulties. A story of coming to terms with family members you love and lose and honoring the lives of those who are no longer with you.
Thank you #netgalley and the publisher for the e-book in exchange for an honest review.
From the steppes of the Gobi Desert, we meet Li Juan,and her mother, on their small plot of land. Surrounded by chickens, rabbits, two dogs, and hardscrabble earth,sunflower fields are planted, cared for and ultimately harvested.
This book is ultimately a story of unwavering strength and fortitude in the face of great difficulties. A story of coming to terms with family members you love and lose and honoring the lives of those who are no longer with you.
Thank you #netgalley and the publisher for the e-book in exchange for an honest review.
February 25, 2025
其实两天就看完了 但这两个一天之中隔了一个星期
不是牧场书 是农场书 也因为写的是种地而非放牧 失去了遥远的不熟悉的事物的朦胧的浪漫感 平平无奇了
我对种地是没有任何向往的 毕竟我父母一辈的亲戚里 我的表亲中 就有同龄人家里有田地要耕种的 种地那真的是相当的辛苦 是一种我所知道的辛苦 没有任何对不熟悉的生活的浪漫化
比起种地当然还是坐在空调房里穿着羊绒外套吃坚果喝牛奶来的舒服了 再加上一年六七次国外旅游 长周末想走就走的潜水 下班后攀完岩在美轮美奂的cbd沿河散步
等闲农民也不可能挣钱比我多——对比等闲牧民也是一样的 但为什么就是对游牧生活充满着浪漫化的好奇？
哎 人啊
有时候我也想 我觉得很羡慕牧民弟弟的生活 我羡慕的是什么呢？我究竟是浪漫化了游牧生活 还是浪漫化了新疆 还是因为trip crush才crush了新疆 进而crush了一整个游牧生活 还是相反的 对他的喜欢之上也蒙着一层出于新疆的滤镜呢
anyways
不是牧场书 是农场书 也因为写的是种地而非放牧 失去了遥远的不熟悉的事物的朦胧的浪漫感 平平无奇了
我对种地是没有任何向往的 毕竟我父母一辈的亲戚里 我的表亲中 就有同龄人家里有田地要耕种的 种地那真的是相当的辛苦 是一种我所知道的辛苦 没有任何对不熟悉的生活的浪漫化
比起种地当然还是坐在空调房里穿着羊绒外套吃坚果喝牛奶来的舒服了 再加上一年六七次国外旅游 长周末想走就走的潜水 下班后攀完岩在美轮美奂的cbd沿河散步
等闲农民也不可能挣钱比我多——对比等闲牧民也是一样的 但为什么就是对游牧生活充满着浪漫化的好奇？
哎 人啊
有时候我也想 我觉得很羡慕牧民弟弟的生活 我羡慕的是什么呢？我究竟是浪漫化了游牧生活 还是浪漫化了新疆 还是因为trip crush才crush了新疆 进而crush了一整个游牧生活 还是相反的 对他的喜欢之上也蒙着一层出于新疆的滤镜呢
anyways
November 2, 2022
The book addresses environmentally problematic practices such as dam-building and the aggressive use of pesticides and fertilizer to grow crops in the absence of crop rotation, and it offers some interesting perspectives on the lives of human beings in a particular time and place. The casual and colloquial language of the translation is sometimes jarringly uneven in tone and register, though.
February 14, 2023
李娟的妈妈从新疆的日常操劳生活中走入文字，读者们又从文字中重现了她，认识了她。“真正的勇气是知道生活的真相，却仍然热爱生活”，李娟妈妈是照着这句话活着的，她的勇气不仅是操劳+冒险，更是边骂着“操他先人，老子就不信了”，边与生活中的一切战斗，我除了无尽的敬佩，说不出其他。长久地干过各种地里的农活，会知道李娟写的向日葵地里的日常，是什么程度的劳作与付出，于我来说，再也不想干哪怕一次，更不敢想长期面对的恐惧。李娟写外婆的部分，不忍卒读，她也写得很浓稠。如果篇章分得不那么细，整体感会不会更强一些，是难以整体上把握素材，还是另有安排？这是我感觉到的唯一缺憾。会继续读剩下的李娟。
June 15, 2021
李娟的文字写得真好，真是太爱了爱了。
“向日葵有美好的形象和美好的象征，在很多时候，总是与激情和勇气有关。可是它们远不止开花时节灿烂壮美的面目，更多的时候还有等待、忍受与离别的面目。”
“向日葵有美好的形象和美好的象征，在很多时候，总是与激情和勇气有关。可是它们远不止开花时节灿烂壮美的面目，更多的时候还有等待、忍受与离别的面目。”
July 11, 2022
人们只在乎向日葵地金黄，没有人在乎金黄背后的来龙去脉。
风是隐形的河流，雨是冰凉的流星。
风是隐形的河流，雨是冰凉的流星。
July 26, 2022
喜欢李娟的文字。那么艰辛的生活，她是如何做到举重若轻的娓娓道来。或许她心中有诗，总是在不经意抬头的间隙瞥见了吉光片羽。读的时候我一直在计算她的年纪，她那时候也是个孩子吧。
January 13, 2023
太喜欢了......书里的写景很有画面感，文笔也很舒服。比想象的要短，三天就看完了。下一本准备看阿勒泰了。
August 23, 2023
它们远不止开花时节灿烂壮美的面目，更多的时候还有等待、忍受与离别的面目。
April 8, 2024
每一章都是涌动的生命
July 16, 2024
这本书里多了很多意识流的描写，但是读下去还是悲凉，传递出一种直指人心的落寞、灿烂和喧哗。书中更多地讲述了外婆的死与祖孙三代的牵绊，在这旷阔的草原上。他的文字细腻、执着的文字，很大程度上来源于她的寂寞吧。太岑寂了，太荒凉了，天地间的一切好像又恢复了原初的面貌。在她的身上看到的更多的是艰苦和孤独，却依然不放弃对美好事物的追求
October 25, 2024
人不是被时间磨损的，人是被告别磨损的
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