1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows
The story of two lives, one nation, and a century of art under tyranny
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1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows
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Narrated by:
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David Shih
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By:
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Ai Weiwei
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
A family story and the tale of a nation.
Ai Weiwei - one of the world's most famous artists and activists - weaves a century-long epic tale of China through the story of his own life and that of his father, Ai Qing, the nation's most celebrated poet.
Here, through the sweeping lens of his own and his father's life, Ai Weiwei tells an epic tale of China over the last 100 years, from the Cultural Revolution to the modern-day Chinese Communist Party.
Here is the story of a childhood spent in desolate exile after his father, Ai Qing, once China's most celebrated poet, fell foul of the authorities. Here is his move to America as a young man and his return to China, his rise from unknown to art-world superstar and international rights activist. Here is his extraordinary account of how his work has been shaped by living under a totalitarian regime.
It's the story of a father and a son, of exceptional creativity and passionate belief, and of how two indomitable spirits enabled the world to understand their country.
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Critic reviews
"Engrossing...a remarkable story." (Sunday Times)
"A story of inherited resilience and self-determination." (Observer)
"A majestic and exquisitely serious masterpiece about his China... One of the great voices of our time." (Andrew Solomon)
What listeners say about 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anton Botha
- 07-01-24
Insight
It is revealing to learn how repression and lies are used by China’s authoritarian regime to supress the freedom of even one as world famous as At Weiwei!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Susanne Klüver
- 28-02-23
Thank you Ai Weiwei, for this necessary story
How lucky we are that Ai Weiwei wanted to let his son be able to know the life story of his father and grandfather. By reading this book we are all in the know of the hardships (to say the least) a country can impose on its people and how they may survive, be it by leaving their country.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mrs Emma E Buckmaster
- 26-01-22
Interesting
I found the second half of the book which is about Ai Weiwei particularly interesting
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- diana lowe
- 29-07-22
Great Memoir
I really enjoyed it because I learned a lot about Ai Weiwei family background and what motivated him to create his art.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Louise Birch
- 25-11-21
Truly a must read
The essence of this book is about the fight for freedom. As such, this is a must read. The erosion of rights and the treatment of those who question their leaders decisions still shocked. It was like reading something from a Cold War history book, but from relatively recent Chinese History. Ai Weiwei's words could not be more timely as the world has seen the attempted erosion of civil liberties, even in the most democratic nation on earth. It is a reminder that hard won rights are fragile and people need to step up to protect them. In essence, Ai Weiwei's refusal to 'drink tea' is inspirational.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- TKV1607
- 07-01-22
As far as autobiographies goes - this is a masterpiece
Thought provoking, informative, descriptive to the point that you taste smell fully sense the experiences… a must read! Only wish I knew more about the author before visiting his art exhibitions in london.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- H.B.
- 18-02-22
Very inspiring.
I started listening with open mind. Very quickly I was captivated by the story telling style and the narrative. Very inspiring book. A small window into the creative process of an great artist.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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- Miss K
- 11-10-22
Emotional, Insightful and Excellent.
An important education. This book is everything I hoped it would be and more. Highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- E R
- 17-06-23
Excellent read. Highly recommend
Excellent read. Highly recommend. Enjoyed it start to finish. Why is there a word limit to reviews..
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- JudiH
- 11-11-21
Fascinating account of family, artists and China
In this book I learned about AI Weiwei, his struggles, his obstinacy and his eternal optimism. I learned a lot about China, Mao Zedong's communism and the bizarre nature of control and punishment. A lot of the book is dedicated to Aei Weiwei's memories of his father, who was also an artist and highly regarded poet who broke bread with the likes of Pablo Neruda. History repeats itself as Aei Weiwei struggles for his voice to be heard. I loved this insightful book.
Great narration by David Shih.
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6 people found this helpful