Books
Tuesday, 01 December 2009 06:12
Written by Caroline Tylawsky

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Chinese author Su Tong wins the Man Asian Prize for his book The Boat to Redemption

Get ready to add another Chinese writer to your reading list: Nanjing-based writer Su Tong is primed to have another one of his works hit the English-language charts. His latest triumph: The Boat to Redemption, which won this year’s Man Asian Literary Prize, garnering the author USD10,000.

Annually awarded to an Asian novel previously unpublished in English, the Man Asian has quickly become a prestigious and influential honor for Asian writers, thanks largely to the Man Group (which also sponsors the Booker Prize) and the promised exposure to Western audiences. China has been well-represented in the award’s short history: Chinese writer Jiang Rong’s Wolf Totem picked up the inaugural award in 2007, while Yu Hua’s Brothers was shortlisted last year (both books receiving English translations several years after their initial release).

Su Tong was the sole China representative in the final rounds of this year’s award, and Boat’s triumph is also likely thanks in part to its English-language translation, courtesy of award-winning translator Howard Goldblatt. Widely considered the top translator of modern Chinese fiction, Goldblatt has translated over thirty novels (including Wolf Totem) and received plenty of associated accolades. Boat’s English-language edition is primed for a global release in January, and reviews of the book have cited its emotionally dark and unsettling style, at once comedic and disturbing. The story centers on a father and son sent to live on a river barge during the Cultural Revolution, simultaneously focusing on the father’s shame of exile (due to his salacious lifestyle) and the son’s increasingly dangerous obsession with a young orphan girl.

In addition to Boat, Su Tong has written five other novels, a dozen novellas and over 120 short stories. Arguably his most famous novel has been Wives and Concubines, which film director Zhang Yimou adapted into 1991’s award-winning Raise the Red Lantern. The film shot to fame in the West when it was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 1992 Academy Awards, and Su Tong has since been able to make a name for himself in the Western market. Several other of his stories have been adapted to film and television in China as well, including Rice and Blush.

As he takes his place among China’s leading contemporary authors, Su Tong has become an outspoken advocate for Chinese literature, pushing the public to read more and fighting against piracy. He has often expressed frustration that Asian writers can only become successful by having their books translated or adapted into movies, encouraging local writers and supporting the local market. Still, Su Tong’s Man Asian recognition is an important step for both Chinese writers and Western readers – regardless of its road to success, The Boat to Redemption remains a fine read in any language – and a welcome addition to our reading list.

The Boat to Redemption, will be available in English this January 2010.

Listen to our thoughts on the book on the regular Bookcast available here.

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