Sounds of the River

"A story about suppression, humiliation, vindication, and, ultimately, triumph." — New York Times Book Review From the bestselling author of Colors of the Mountain—an engrossing, gloriously written coming-of-age saga that picks up where that book left off—in Beijing during China's Cultural Revolution In this "equally beguiling sequel to his acclaimed memoir" ( Kirkus Reviews), teenager Da Chen takes his first train ride away from the farm he was raised on to his new university life in Beijing. He soon faces a host of ghastly challenges, including poor living conditions, lack of food, and suicidal roommates. Undaunted by these hurdles, and armed with a dogged determination to learn English and "all things Western," he competes to win a chance to study in America—a chance that rests in the shrewd and corrupt hands of the almighty professors. Poetic, hilarious, and heartbreaking,  Sounds of the River is a gloriously written coming-of-age saga that chronicles a remarkable journey—a travelogue of the heart.