1000 Years Of Joys and Sorrows: Two Lives, One Nation and a Century Of art Under Tyranny In China

A FAMILY STORY AND THE TALE OF A NATION.

Ai Weiwei - one of the world s most famous artists and activists - weaves a century-long epic tale of China through the story of his own life and that of his father, Ai Qing, the nation s most celebrated poet.

Engrossing...a remarkable story Sunday Times

Here, through the sweeping lens of his own and his father s life, Ai Weiwei tells an epic tale of China over the last 100 years, from the Cultural Revolution to the modern-day Chinese Communist Party.

Here is the story of a childhood spent in desolate exile after his father, Ai Qing, once China s most celebrated poet, fell foul of the authorities. Here is his move to America as a young man and his return to China, his rise from unknown to art-world superstar and international rights activist. Here is his extraordinary account of how his work has been shaped by living under a totalitarian regime.

It s the story of a father and a son, of exceptional creativity and passionate belief, and of how two indomitable spirits enabled the world to understand their country.

A story of inherited resilience and self-determination Observer

A majestic and exquisitely serious masterpiece about his China... One of the great voices of our time Andrew Solomon

Intimate, unflinching...an instant classic Evan Osnos, author of Age of Ambition