Acknowledgements
Having published many books in Chinese, I am grateful to those who have allowed me to realize to my dream of publishing in English: publisher Linda Leith, whose passion for literature is embodied in every detail of the book; translator Darry Sterk, who has turned the original Chinese into elegant English with the skill of a magician; the extraordinary Chinese illustrator Cai Gao, who has a profound understanding of my characters; Radio-Canada international journalist Yan Liang, who introduced me to my publisher and my translator; and Carole Channer, a friend fascinated with literature and the English language, who read the manuscript and whose comments on it encouraged me.
And I owe special thanks to Ha Jin, winner of the National Book award, for the insights and support that have helped me create a bridge between my writing and my new audience.