Qian Zhongshu

4.21011 learners

Follow Fang Hung-chien, a bumbling yet relatable Chinese intellectual in the 1930s, as he navigates the messy, absurd realities of love, career, and marriage. After buying a fake doctorate for $40 to please his family, he returns home and gets tangled in a shipboard love triangle. In Shanghai, he falls for the charming Tang Hsiao-fu, only to have his lies exposed by a scorned suitor. Desperate to escape, he takes a teaching job at remote San Lü University, where he’s caught in petty faculty politics and false pretenses. Eventually, he marries quiet colleague Sun Jou-chia, but their marriage quickly devolves into bickering and resentment. Qian Zhongshu’s sharp satire lays bare the iconic 'fortress besieged' truth: everyone longs to enter relationships, jobs, and social circles, yet once inside, they’re desperate to break free. A hilarious, poignant look at the universal struggle to find belonging without feeling trapped.

Yang Jiang

4.1605 learners

Yang Jiang’s *We Three* is a tender, intimate memoir that weaves together vivid memories and haunting dreams of her lifelong bond with her husband Qian Zhongshu and their daughter Qian Yuan (Yuan Yuan). From their early days studying abroad in Oxford—where they fumbled through cooking experiments and celebrated small joys like perfectly braised pork—to navigating the chaos of war-torn Shanghai and the brutal trials of the Cultural Revolution, the trio’s quiet resilience and unwavering support for one another shine through every page. Yang captures the mundane magic of daily life: shared meals, inside jokes, and quiet moments of companionship, alongside the searing pain of losing her daughter and husband in quick succession. More than a family story, it’s a testament to love that transcends loss, as she holds onto their memories, turning an empty home into a sanctuary of shared history and enduring warmth.