Bridge of Birds

Bridge of Birds (1984) Barry Hughart

A year or so ago I ordered The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox, because I’d read Bridge of Birds, loved it, and wanted to read more.

Unfortunately for me, The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox is a BIG book. It’s three volumes: Bridge of Birds, The Story of the Stone, and Eight Skilled Gentlemen, all in a single hardback volume, and every time I thought I wanted to read it, I looked at the size of the thing and changed my mind.

So I finally broke down and bought it in eBook format. And the immediately started rereading Bridge of Birds.

Still wonderful. And now I can read the next two!

‘Take a large bowl,’ I sad. ‘Fill it with equal measures of fact, fantasy, history, mythology, science, superstition, logic, ad lunacy. Darken the mixture with bitter tears, brighten it with howls of laughter, toss in three thousand years of civilization, bellow kan pei–which means “dry cup”–and drink to the dregs.’ Procopius stared at me. ‘And then I will be wise?’ he asked. ‘Better,’ I said. ‘You will be Chinese.’

Rating: 9/10

Published by Subterranean Press

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