"Wang Er, whose long affair with Chen Qinyang has attracted the attention of local authorities, is shamed and forced to write a confession of his crimes. Instead, he takes it upon himself to write a modernist literary tract. Later, as a lecturer at a chaotic, newly built university, Wang Er navigates the bureaucratic maze of 1980's China, boldly writing about the Cultural Revolution's impact on his life and those around him. Finally, alone and humbled, Wang Er must come to terms with the banality of his own existence. Xiaobo's use of the awkwardness of sex as a metaphor for all that occurred during the Cultural Revolution makes this novel both hilarious and important. A revolutionary achievement in China, Golden Age was placed in the great pantheon of novels that argue against governmental control. A leading icon of his generation, Wang Xiaobo's satire is a reflection on the failures of individuals and the enormous political, social, and personal changes in 20th century China"-- Provided by publisher.
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