Years of Red Dust: Stories of Shanghai    by Qiu Xiaolong Order:  USA  Can St. Martin's, 2011 (2011) Hardcover, Softcover, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Wanda Plourde The linked short stories in this small collection are all set in Red Dust Lane, one of many small communities in Shanghai, China. They portray how neighbourhood gossip and living in small quarters tend to be, especially when there is a lot of political upheaval happening in the rest of the country. Each chapter starts with an account of what was happening in that particular year, the Blackboard Newsletter. All the national events posted on this board was between the years 1949 to 2005. We read of humor, poetry and everyday living amongst the inhabitants of Red Dust Lane and learn how they dealt with the country's changes. I found this uplifting book very well written, and enjoyed the stories about individuals. It gave me a small insight into how the Chinese people lived and their culture, and is very realistic in its descriptions. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews