London Single Diary
London Single Diary is a 2009 novel, the sixth book by British Chinese author Yilin Zhong, and the first book she wrote in the UK. It was written between 2002 and 2004, the first three years when Zhong came to the UK. As a sort of life writing diaries, Zhong recorded her first impression and personal journey of living abroad in London.
book cover | |
Author | Yilin Zhong |
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Original title | 伦敦单身日记 |
Country | China |
Language | Chinese |
Genre | Literary fiction, Life writing |
Published | August 2009 |
Media type | Paperback |
Pages | 296 |
ISBN | 9787806204818 |
Preceded by | Going to Tibet |
Followed by | London Love Story |
The original work has four volumes: V1.London Notes(Year 1); V2.Britain Essays(Year 1-2); V3.Seasons of England(Year 2) and V4.London Life(Year 3), intotal 98 diaries. In 2009, a selection of 50 diaries were published as a life writing novel: 'London Single Diary', and it peaked #50 on the Amazon bestselling fiction list.[1]
London Single Diary is a twin-work of London Love Story(2010).
Plot summary
This novel is a fictionalised non-fiction, a life writing experience in the 21st century. Writing as nobody but an oversea student coming to England, it faithfully recorded all her life and experiences she went through in the first three years in the U.K. From her first day landed in London, her later university experience as a Chinese student, to her hard time when working temporarily in London after graduation. Sometimes there was love and joy, sometimes there was extremely loneless and blue when living abroad with no friends and no families, blended with her own dilemma and confusing at some life changing points as all young single girls do. Fortunately, London saved her all.
Reception
London Single Diary was the first novel that a Chinese writer wrote about London in depth, and wrote about her personal experience. Maybe because of its realism or non-fictional stories, it became the bestseller from the first day of publishing. The first edition was sold out within three weeks.[2]
London Single Diary was recommended by chief editor of SinaBlog,[1] and was recommended as 'Editor's Choice' by Amazon.[3] It peaked at #50 on the Amazon bestselling fiction list. One year later, its twin-work London Love Story peaked at #3 on the Amazon bestselling fiction list.
References
- 《伦敦单身日记》. Amazon.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- 《伦敦单身日记》. 豆瓣 (in Chinese). Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- "Recommend books". Amazon (in Chinese).
External links
- (in Chinese) 《BBC人物特写:钟宜霖》|BBC|2015-8-4 BBC People: Yilin Zhong in London|BBC|4 August 2015 - Google translation
- (in Chinese)《伦敦单身日记》