Xiaolu Guo

Last night, I went to Colchester Library to see Guo as part of the Essex Book Festival, dragging Mum with me. I was a bit wary, as you are never sure that an author will live up to your opinion of them.

I was sent Village of Stone as part of an NSS package from AFIR, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The village is in Southern China and the book deals with a girl's life there and her life now in the city. Apparently it is as available as her others. I didn't connect her with A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers , as this seemed like such a different book. It tells of a Chinese girl who comes to London to learn English, it is narrated from her point of view and is written in Chinglish. Another good book, but very different book from the Village of Stone. Guo read from this and her latest book, 20 fragments of a Ravenous Youth, which is out in hardback. I decided to buy a copy from the couple from Red Lion Books, a great local bookshop in Colchester.

She was a good speaker, reading from her books, answering all the questions put to her thoroughly. Her books seem to be inspired by her own experiences, she was a student in Beijing, as in the character in her latest book, she grew up in a small Chinese village and studied English in London.

She is also a poet and a film maker, for more info, see her website: Xiaolu, Guo