Apologies Forthcoming

by Xujun Eberlein

Book Overview

A totally illuminating collection of stories centered around China's Cultural Revolution and its aftermath, which, as we learn, continues even today-with both sides still holding out, with "apologies forthcoming." Xujun's older sister fought and died in the Cultural Revolution. Xujun herself lived in China during that tumultuous period and now makes her home in America. This, her first story collection, is both disturbing and enthralling.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 160489007X
• ISBN13: 9781604890075
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: Livingston Press at the University of West Al
• Length: 152 Pages
• Weight: 2.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.3" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

History written by the survivors

Wow. This is a stunning short story collection, a frank look into the minds and hearts of ordinary Chinese citizens who have lived through their government's folly-filled shifts in policy and politics. Eberlein writes deftly, unassumingly, of matters she knows well. She is not afraid to show the warts in her characters or the country in which they were born, but she does so with the talent of a fine storyteller, using weakness, strength and humanity to build her scenes. This is the stuff missing from history books, the stuff that would actually make those dry accounts of movements and political actions interesting and relevant to us mortals. It's history written not by the winners, but by the survivors. Although the stories are simple on the surface, they present situations that are tremendously complicated, both emotionally and technically. Eberlein is very good at rendering characters who refuse to be entirely good or overwhelmingly evil, a fact that sets her apart from much prose written about China in general and the Cultural Revolution in particular. She also gives us a fine sense of place, whether her characters roam the halls of a factory, wander the market, or huddle for warmth against the wall of a barn. I loved this collection. Now...we need a novel. Susan O'Neill, Author: Don't Mean Nothing: Short Stories of Vietnam

A Thought Provoking Immersion

To read award- winning writer Xujun (pronounced "shoe"-"June") Eberlein's collection of short fiction compiled in her Apologies Forthcoming is to be wrapped up in the lives of an array of individuals who participated in China's Cultural Revolution that began in the summer of 1966 and terminated with Mao Zedong's death in 1976. The Cultural Revolution emanated when, with the assistance of the masses, Mao succeeded in destroying the state apparatus, thus piloting the country into bedlam and disorder. There wasn't anyone in China who was not involved in one way or another by the Cultural Revolution and this included students from middle school through university who became the Red Guards. It was also an era where books were destroyed or seized, libraries were shut down and it was impossible to pursue higher university learning until a decade later. As we read in the anthology, there was also a program set up where young people from the cities who were called "inserts" were sent to the country- side to help the farmers and be re-educated by the poor peasants. Eberlein, through her collection of intimate snapshots, provides us with a thought-provoking experience, a sudden immersion into a world that as Eberlein describes in one of her interviews, "an all people movement." She goes on to state that "there was often no clear divide between the victims and victimizers, and people took turns in both positions." One of Eberlein's greatest strengths is her careful attention to her characters that are stylistically strong and totally convincing as she astutely uses them to explore human conduct during an era of which most of us have very little understanding. In addition, what I found most fascinating about these stories is that each unfolds like a brainteaser challenging us to figure out what the author wishes to convey, particularly that most of the tales resonate with subtleties and nuances. This is quite apparent when we read Disciple of the Masses where Eberlein narrates the story of how a well- intentioned girl takes food away from hungry farmers. In Second Encounter we read about two idealistic young boys who attempt to shoot one another only to meet up many years later and wonder what was really their motive and in Men Don't Apologize we have a tale of a former Red Guard who cannot bring himself to apologize to his victim. Feathers is a very sensitive and sad tale about a the loss of a young girl's sister and how the family copes with tragedy wherein the girl's grandmother is not told about the death of her grandchild. Xujun Eberlein grew up in Chongqing (also known as Chungking), China and moved to the U.S.A with her American husband in 1988. She earned a Ph.D from MIT and prior to becoming a writer she worked for a high tech company. As a writer she has won several literary awards and her stories and essays have been published in the USA, Canada, England, Kenya and Hong Kong in magazines as AGNI, Walrus, PRISM International, StoryQuarterly,

No apologies needed for this powerful debut

Through a collection of stories, Xujun Eberlein weaves poignant tales with the common thread being China's Cultural Revolution. Eberlein's stories reveal the impact of the revolution on the individual and how it shaped the decisions and actions both during and well after the revolution. Through the intimacy of her writing, it is apparent that Eberlein has a powerful understanding of the revolution, the people who experienced it, and their stories. It is with this knowledge that she shapes often unforgettable tales that reveal the personal turmoil, familial conflict, and societal indifference of a nation of people caught in the revolution and its aftermath. The tones of the stories range from intense passion to distant indifference. This disparity seems to work well with the characters as it clearly shows the impact of the atrocities that occurred during the revolution. The passion is evident in Shanzi, a young city insert sent into the country, in "Disciple of the Masses." Cloaked in the naive passion of the cause, she seems often unaware of the direness of her situation. Indifference proves shocking in "Watch the Thrill," as Eberlein tells the story of two young boys in the midst of national turmoil. Within the limitations of the Cultural Revolution, the boys find themselves bored and looking for excitement. A horrific event occurs before their eyes. What is shocking is not so much the event itself (as it appears to be a common occurrence during the revolution), but the shear indifference of one of the boys to the pain of a young man from their neighborhood who is headed for his death. Eberlein reveals the challenges of relationships during era of the Cultural Revolution in the connecting tales, "Pivot Point" and "The Randomness of Love." By tracing the evolving relationship of a young educated woman and her married lover, Eberlein reveals the difficulty of making connections and maintaining them. Although this situation is common, what is riveting is the the path that Eberlein takes the young woman on; a path that will ultimately lead to either hope or utter despair. The remaining tales feature young people figuring out who they are, families torn apart, friendships tested, and loyalties betrayed all occurring within the constraints of a pivotal time in China's history. With each story, Eberlein pulls in the reader with her honest narratives, strong characterizations, and simple and casual language. As a regular reader of world and multicultural literature, I felt that Eberlein's writing style was rather unique in that she was able to capture the indifference and the passion weaved within her stories with a rather simple and honest style. Often it is easy to get caught up in the language and neglect the authenticity of the story. Clearly, no apologies are needed as Eberlein delivers an influential and unforgettable collection of tales.

Apologies Forthcoming

In Aplogies Forthcoming, Xujun Eberlein describes a world where intelligent women have such limited choices that they consider suicide, children are sent from their homes to labor in far away fields, and men do not apologize for destroying each others property and dreams. Set during and after China's Cultural Revolution, this well written collection of eight stories tells tales of individual hardship: Sail, whose older sister dies serving in the Red Guard; Ou Homg, whose father is accused of being a "capitalist roader" and publicly humiliated; Wang Qiang, who tries and fails to bring his brother back to his home from the countryside; and others, whose stories are no less compelling. Despite hard times, the characters search for love and fulfillment, and each story presents not only a unique view into the character's world, but a very human portrait of the people inhabiting the pages.

Apologies Forthcoming by Xujun Eberlein

I've read Apologies Forthcoming cover to cover and enjoyed every word, entranced by the poetry of "Snow Line" and shocked by the ending of "Disciple of the Masses." Xujun Eberlein's sensitive and subtle stories have an amazing depth and clarity. And are beautifully presented by the Livingston Press in this elegant book.