Linda Jaivin in conversation with Steven Lang

Linda Jaivin is the author of twelve books, both fiction and non-fiction. She’s also a renowned specialist on China, working as a translator both of prose and film (she did the sub-titles for  Farewell My Concubine, amongst many others). Her most recent work is the one she’ll be talking about for Outspoken,  The Shortest History of China.

Chinese history is long, sprawling and gloriously messy. It is full of heroes who are also villains, prosperous ages and violent rebellions, extraordinary cultural and scientific leaps and deep dark times. Linda distils this vast history into a concise narrative that allows us a glimpse of its importance to the formation of China as we see it today. Right now in Australia, we desperately need this sort of understanding. 

Outspoken is an extended literary festival taking the form of occasional conversations with writers.