{"product_id":"the-explosion-chronicles-9780802127259","title":"The Explosion Chronicles","description":"Yan Lianke is one of the most acclaimed writers of contemporary China--twice a finalist for the Man Booker International Prize, as well as the winner of the prestigious Franz Kafka Prize--and he has been lauded for his imaginative satire and perceptive cultural critique. \u003ci\u003eThe Explosion Chronicles\u003c\/i\u003e tells the unforgettable tale of rival families competing in a greed-fueled race to convert their sleepy, rural community into a thriving super metropolis. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWith the Yi River on one side and the Balou Mountains on the other, the remote village of Explosion was founded more than a millennium ago by refugees fleeing a seismic volcanic eruption. But in the post-Mao era, the name takes on surprising significance as the villagers aspire to transform their poor province into a bustling city of millions. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBehind this explosive expansion are the four Kong brothers, whose loyalty is tested when they set out to fulfill their individual destinies; Zhu Ying, a wealthy businesswoman and the daughter of the former village chief; and Cheng Qing, a secretary climbing the ranks to become an influential political figure. Linked together by a web of lies, vice, and ambition, they are the driving force behind their hometown's transformation. And when Explosion's progress begins to take a lethal toll, they are forced to confront the sacrifices they have made for power and money. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Brimming with absurdity, intelligence, and wit, \u003ci\u003eThe Explosion Chronicles\u003c\/i\u003e is a riotous exploration of the high stakes of unbridled authority, the consequences of corruption, the polarizing dynamics of love and hate, and the seemingly unstoppable excesses of capitalist culture.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Grove Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/17\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780802127259\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 480\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.05lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.20h x 5.50w x 1.40d","brand":"Yan Lianke","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":36643400122524,"sku":"9780802127259","price":17.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/products\/img_ae8a2083-5b70-47bd-9013-2a6cffdcefdc.jpg?v=1603856555","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/the-explosion-chronicles-9780802127259","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}