Couldn't Put it Down!
Te-Ping Chen's short story collection, Land of Big Numbers, gives the reader many different glimpses into both traditional and modern Chinese culture. Each story was completely new and brought a surprise to the reader. My favorite stories included 'New Fruit', where a mysterious fruit produces euphoria when eaten but when it is no longer available the community falls into a depression, and 'Gubeikou Spirit', where a group of travelers get stuck on a subway platform for months due to strict rules that once you enter the station you cannot exit the same station, and 'The Flying Machine' where a man spends his entire adult life building a small plane out of scraps which culminates in his first flight being a massive flop. The stories were all so unique, inspiring, and sometimes heartbreaking. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves short story collections or anyone who is interested in trying something new.