Carcanet Press - The August Sleepwalker

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Bei Dao

Bei Dao, pen name of Zhao Zhenkai which means ‘northisland’, was born in Beijing in 1949. Hailed as ‘the soul of post-Mao poetry’(Yunte Huang) and praised for his ‘intense lyricism’ (Pankaj Mishra), Bei Daois one of contemporary China’s most distinguished poets and the cofounder ofthe landmark underground literary journal Jintian ... read more

Bonnie S. McDougall

Bonnie S. McDougall is Visiting Professor in the Department of Chinese, Translation and Linguistics at the City University of Hong Kong. She has previously taught at the Universities of Edinburgh, Sydney, Harvard and Oslo. From 2006-8 she was Research Professor in Translation at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. During the ... read more

Praise for Bei Dao 'As with stereograms (magic-eye art), if we look at them long enough, a three-dimensional view of Bei Daoâs itinerant life in exile comes in and out of focus. From Beijing to West Berlin, Copenhagen to Hong Kong, the narrative thrust of this collection zigzags through his lifetime, while the 34 cantos themselves (in Jeffrey Yang's propulsive translation) are a nebula of worldly experience.'
Jack Hargreaves, China Book Review
'The language of Bei Dao's memoir, seamlessly translated by fellow poet Yang, is elegantly simple and guilelessly accessible....Winter white cabbage, vinyl records, pet rabbits, banned books, and first and last 'I love yous' provide intimate glimpses that 'open up' to reveal extraordinary, immediate testimony of challenges survived in a life intensely lived.'
Booklist of City Gate, Open Up (US edition, published by New Directions) 'This is a nuanced account of China in the era of the Cultural Revolution, seen through one young man's eyes. Since that young man became a poet, it is also beautifully textured, full of the sounds, sights, and scents of a Beijing that is no more.'
Publishers Weekly of City Gate, Open Up (US edition, published by New Directions)

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The August Sleepwalker Bei Dao Translated by Bonnie S. McDougall Imprint: Anvil Press Poetry Publisher: Carcanet Press Available as: Author Reviews Bei Dao Bei Dao, pen name of Zhao Zhenkai which means ‘northisland’, was born in Beijing in 1949. Hailed as ‘the soul of post-Mao poetry’(Yunte Huang) and praised for his ‘intense lyricism’ (Pankaj Mishra), Bei Daois one of contemporary China’s most distinguished poets and the cofounder ofthe landmark underground literary journal Jintian ... read more Bonnie S. McDougall Bonnie S. McDougall is Visiting Professor in the Department of Chinese, Translation and Linguistics at the City University of Hong Kong. She has previously taught at the Universities of Edinburgh, Sydney, Harvard and Oslo. From 2006-8 she was Research Professor in Translation at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. During the ... read more Praise for Bei Dao 'As with stereograms (magic-eye art), if we look at them long enough, a three-dimensional view of Bei Daoâs itinerant life in exile comes in and out of focus. From Beijing to West Berlin, Copenhagen to Hong Kong, the narrative thrust of this collection zigzags through his lifetime, while the 34 cantos themselves (in Jeffrey Yang's propulsive translation) are a nebula of worldly experience.' Jack Hargreaves, China Book Review 'The language of Bei Dao's memoir, seamlessly translated by fellow poet Yang, is elegantly simple and guilelessly accessible....Winter white cabbage, vinyl records, pet rabbits, banned books, and first and last 'I love yous' provide intimate glimpses that 'open up' to reveal extraordinary, immediate testimony of challenges survived in a life intensely lived.' Booklist of City Gate, Open Up (US edition, published by New Directions) 'This is a nuanced account of China in the era of the Cultural Revolution, seen through one young man's eyes. Since that young man became a poet, it is also beautifully textured, full of the sounds, sights, and scents of a Beijing that is no more.' Publishers Weekly of City Gate, Open Up (US edition, published by New Directions)	Share this... Quick Links Carcanet Poetry Carcanet Classics Carcanet Fiction Carcanet Film Lives and Letters PN Review Video Carcanet Celebrates 50 Years! The Carcanet Blog The Strongbox: Sasha Dugdale read more Not a Moment Too Soon: Frank Kuppner read more Coco Island: Christine Roseeta Walker read more that which appears: Thomas A Clark read more Come Here to This Gate: Rory Waterman read more Near-Life Experience: Rowland Bagnall read more
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The August Sleepwalker

Bei Dao

Translated by Bonnie S. McDougall