Read the essays gathered in “Dear Friend, From My Life I Write to You in Your Life” and you’ll be left with the sense that they’re the product of a singular mind, one that has no time for cliches or pandering. For someone who’s devoted so many working hours to literature — there have been two novels and two story collections, each of them admiringly reviewed — she has some notably counterintuitive opinions about art and language and inspiration. Li, who was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship genius grant in 2010, is unlikely to be featured in an anthology of motivational quotes about the writing life; there’s a distinctly dark tenor to her work. Li worked on this book for two years, she says, as long as the period that led to it, a year of descending into the darkest despair and a year of being confined by that despair. The bleakness, which can be summarized with a few generic words — suicide attempts and hospitalizations — was so absolute that it sheds little light on things. Afterward, in an effort to discourage political dissent, she and many other university students were forced to serve a year in the army. For a long time, she worked all day in labs and wrote all night, often keeping at it until 4 a.m.
‘dear Friend, From My Life I Write To You In Your Life,’ By Yiyun Li
By Kevin Canfield, San Francisco Chronicle: Entertainment
Sun, 02/19/2017 - 5:28am
BING NEWS:
- It Took Me 38 Years To Learn These 9 Basic Life Lessons
I’ve been on this planet called Earth for an eye-blink — 38 years — in the grand scheme of things. But I’m not talking to an amoeba. I’m talking to you, friend. And there is much I have learned that ...
04/24/2024 - 1:30 pm | View Link - Dear Abby: After family deaths, friend tosses out crazy accusations
We see each other often, and I don’t know how to treat her. -- FRIEND OR FOE IN NEW YORK DEAR FRIEND OR FOE: I am concerned for your friend. Are you sure she doesn’t have other emotional or ...
04/21/2024 - 7:06 pm | View Link - Dear Annie: How should we tell a friend her child needs speech therapy?
I have a family friend who is raising a 2-year-old from the community. We see their child continuously and think that he is behind developmentally, especially in speech. They could hypothetically ...
04/21/2024 - 6:34 pm | View Link - Dear Abby: Grieving friend produces off-the-wall accusations
We see each other often, and I don’t know how to treat her. — Friend or Foe in New York Dear Friend Or Foe: I am concerned for your friend. Are you sure she doesn’t have other emotional ...
04/21/2024 - 6:02 pm | View Link - Dear Annie: Should we talk to a family friend about concerns we have with her young child?
I have a family friend who is raising a 2-year-old from the community. We see their child continuously and think that he is behind developmentally, especially in speech. They could hypothetically ...
04/21/2024 - 1:05 pm | View Link - More
Welcome to Wopular
Wopular is an
online newspaper rack,
giving you a summary view of the top headlines from the top news sites.
Senh Duong (Founder)
Wopular,
MWB,
RottenTomatoes
MoviesWithButter : Our Sister Site
- "Expendables 4" Starts Shooting This Fall, Says Randy Couture at the Arnold Sports Festival more
- “Expendables 4” Gets Funding Interest from “Ip Man 3” Financier more
- "Ip Man 3" Distributor Suspected of Box Office Fraud, Parent Company Loses $200M in Market Cap more
- Yen Targets "Ip Man 4" for 2018 Release; Discusses Film with Director, Producer more
- "Ip Man 3" Shatters Expectations with $72M Opening [China Box Office] more