The Chinese Cultural Revolution began in 1966 and led to a ten-year-long reign of Maoist terror throughout China, in which millions died or were sent to labor camps in the country or subjected to other forms of extreme discipline and humiliation. Ji Xianlin was one of them. The Cowshed is Ji’s harrowing account of his imprisonment in 1968 on the campus of Peking University and his subsequent disillusionment with the cult of Mao. As the campus spirals into a political frenzy, Ji, a professor of Eastern languages, is persecuted by lecturers and students from his own department. His home is raided, his most treasured possessions are destroyed, and Ji himself must endure hours of humiliation at brutal “struggle sessions.” He is forced to construct a cowshed (a makeshift prison for intellectuals who were labeled class enemies) in which he is then housed with other former colleagues. His eyewitness account of this excruciating experience is full of sharp irony, empathy, and remarkable insights into a central event in Chinese history. In contemporary China, the Cultural Revolution remains a delicate topic, little discussed, but if a Chinese citizen has read one book on the subject, it is likely to be Ji’s memoir. When The Cowshed was published in China in 1998, it quickly became a bestseller. The Cultural Revolution had nearly disappeared from the collective memory. Prominent intellectuals rarely spoke openly about the revolution, and books on the subject were almost nonexistent. By the time of Ji’s death in 2009, little had changed, and despite its popularity, The Cowshed remains one of the only testimonies of its kind. As Zha Jianying writes in the introduction, “The book has sold well and stayed in print. But authorities also quietly took steps to restrict public discussion of the memoir, as its subject continues to be treated as sensitive. The present English edition, skillfully translated by Chenxin Jiang, is hence a welcome, valuable addition to the small body of work in this genre. It makes an important contribution to our understanding of that period.”

"A long-awaited memoir by the celebrated physicist whose clashes with the Chinese regime helped inspired the Tiananmen Square protests describes how in spite of his scientific contributions he was sentenced to hard labor for decades and eventually sought asylum from the U.S., "--NoveList.

Ten years ago, Clare and David Hieatt started the Do Lectures with a simple aim: To gather together the world's Doers - disruptors and change makers, experts and pioneers - to share their stories, and encourage others to go and Do. Since that time, the Do Lectures has grown into a small but mighty institution, a unique gathering around ideas set over four days on their farm in West Wales. It has attracted world-class speakers and inspired countless attendees to follow their passions. Stay Curious is a celebration of the Do Lectures' life-changing magic, full of personal insight and lessons learnt over the last decade - from curating the very best speakers, to styling and producing a beautifully intimate event, and the importance of people, place and passion. A 304-page hardback with full colour and B&W film photography, Stay Curious: How we created a world-class event in a cowshed invites you to experience this special event and shares insight on how to curate and host your own beautiful gatherings.

Based on a true story of blowing a a cowshed in the 1970s, told in rhyming verse from a child's perspective by Jennifer and illustrated by her sister Margery, just as they remember it. Suggested level: junior.

« Peter Blundell Jones, Professor of Architecture at the University of Sheffield, has long been concerned with the organic movement in architecture and has written extensively about it, including a substantial work on Hans Scharoun. The present book is not just a biography of Haring, but an unusually detailed analysis of his architectural work, including many unbuilt projects which have never before been published. It also includes an account of Haring's theory, with translated extracts from his many writings. Through setting Haring within his historical context, and differentiating his position from figures such as Mies, Le Corbusier and Hannes Meyer, Peter Blundell Jones suggests a radical reframing of the early Modern Movement. He was aided in the development of the book by Haring's personal assistant in the late years, Margot Aschenbrenner, who was trained as a philosopher. »--Jaquette.