Yan Lianke is the author of Discovering Fiction, also published by Duke University Press, as well as Hard Like Water, The Day the Sun Died, The Explosion Chronicles, and many other books. Winner of the Franz Kafka Prize and a two-time finalist for the Man Booker International Prize, Yan teaches at Renmin University in Beijing and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Carlos Rojas is Professor of Modern Chinese Cultural Studies at Duke University and translator of several of Yan’s novels.
"“Yan Lianke is one of the most important figures in contemporary Chinese literature and cultural politics. His sharp and insightful comments on the Chinese lived experience offer firsthand observations of the late-socialist society in transformation, and his cynical, dark humor constitutes the most poignant reflection of the Chinese consciousness in crisis.” -- David Der-wei Wang, author of * Why Fiction Matters in Contemporary China * “Sound and Silence contains a dozen informative essays that reveal a fascinating mind and original sensibility. Yan Lianke speaks with candor and penetrating insights. His is a jarring, distinct voice from the vast silent landscape of contemporary Chinese letters.” -- Ha Jin, author of * A Song Everlasting: A Novel * ""Yan’s insightful essays show how attempts to control history and society can be countered by memory and imagination. A brief but pithy, informative piece of work, representing a unique approach to history writing."" * Kirkus *"