The May 4th (1919) movement produced many of China's modern writers, of whom Ding Ling (1904-86) is one of the most important and influential. These 13 writings, comprised of journal entries, short stories, parts of long works, and essays, all written from 1927 to 1978, are enchanced by a long introduction, prefaces, and helpful notes. "Miss Sophia's Diary," an early work, shows the influence of Flaubert's Madame Bovary , while later works, especially "Du Wanxiang," strongly advocate the Communist line. From the beginning to the end of her long career, however, Ding Ling was always a feminist. Recommended.
- Kitty Chen Dean, Nassau Coll., Garden City N.Y.