I would classify him as China's Dave Barry, it's basically stories from his life during the Cultural Revolution (his elementary through high school years, the examples he gives range from silly to profound (sort of like Dave Barry, except I haven't found too much profound with him.) As many people who write about their childhoods, Yu Hua views the Cultural Revolution as something of a mixed bag, and some incidents that seem tragic to adults he viewed with a certain bemusement. He seems to admire Mao still, and is not to pleased with the current culture of China. It's good to read a Chinese point of view after reading so much Western blather about China.

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