Our Story

Reviews / Votes

A deeply moving love letter... Almost every page is gorgeously illustrated with his enchanting, sometimes heartbreaking paintings * Asia Review of Books * Pingru, [at age] 95, makes his literary debut with a charming memoir illustrated with his own evocative watercolors... A graceful, gently told narrative of contentment and resilience * Kirkus Reviews * Thanks to the persuasive power of its humane and humorous author, Our Story is as hard to resist as the great, rich, rambling serial narratives of the oral storytellers who travelled from one Chinese village to another -- Hilary Spurling * The Spectator * His pictures tell expressively of his talent for observation but also of his capacity for happiness... A wonderful book, full of energy and curiosity -- Muriel Zagha * Elephant * A beautifully warm, personal, human story of life, love and family * Forbidden Planet * Humane and humorous... Our Story is as hard to resist as the great, rich, rambling serial narratives of the oral storytellers who travelled from one Chinese village to another in the past, drawing entire populations out of their houses to sit on the hillside and listen * Spectator * A masterpiece of memory... Our Story is a deeply personal portrait of Rao Pingru's life and marriage as well as a gripping account of China in the 20th century -- The Culture Trip Using spare prose and stunning, full-colour illustrations, Pingru reveals his struggles, joys, and enduring love for his wife over the course of their lives in a dramatically changing China... Pingru's exquisite, visually dazzling memoir reveals an ordinary life lived in extraordinary times * Publisher's Weekly * Pingru's intimate, illustrated memoir of a life shared with his wife, Meitang, offers a touching portrait of marriage. The story is driven by rich memories of everyday life...paired with Pingru's expressive ink drawings... Our Story makes a compelling case for love's power * Booklist *