Liberation Shoes on a Muddy Road

Using everyday images like a hole in a pair of liberation shoes, a piece of chalk, and an oil-paper umbrella, this story weaves a pure bond between two country boys who support each other through an era of material hardship. Cheng Ling’s quiet interventions and help each time are like fireflies in the dark, warmly lighting Xu Ping’s difficult path to an education. (Xu Ping, the novel’s protagonist, is based on the author himself, Xu Bo, pen name Xu Ge Kouqin.)