SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE 2016 'One of China's greatest living authors and fiercest satirists'Guardian

In the ninety-ninth district of a sprawling labour camp, the Author, Musician, Scholar, Theologian and Technician - and hundreds just like them - are undergoing Re-education, to restore their revolutionary zeal and credentials. In charge of this process is the Child, who delights in draconian rules, monitoring behaviour and confiscating treasured books.

But when bad weather arrives, followed by the three bitter years, the intellectuals are abandoned by the regime and left on their own to survive. Divided into four narratives,The Four Bookstells the story of the Great Famine, one of Chinas most devastating and controversial periods.

WINNER OF THE FRANZ KAFKA PRIZE 2014 NOMINATED FOR CZECH AWARD MAGNESIA LITERA 2014 HUA ZHONG WORLD CHINESE LITERATURE PRIZE 2013 FINALIST FOR THE MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE 2013 WINNER OF THE HUA ZHONG WORLD CHINESE LITERATURE PRIZE 2013 SHORTLISTED FOR THE INDEPENDENT FOREIGN FICTION PRIZE 2012 SHORTLISTED FOR THE PRIX FEMINA ETRANGER 2012 SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN ASIAN LITERARY PRIZE 2011 WINNER OF THE LAO SHE LITERATURE AWARD 2004 WINNER OF THE LU XUN AWARD 1997

One of China's most important novelists tackles the country's great remaining taboo -- the Great Famine, in which at least 45 million died