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William Dolby

Classical Chinese Translations and Research

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Lao She, Mr Ma and Son

This volume was originally translated by William Dolby in 2003 which can be veiwed here.

Subsequently published by Penguin in 2014:

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Classics (7 Aug. 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 014320811X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0143208112

Please contact us on availablity of this work

Mr Ma and his son Ma Wei run an antiques shop nestled in a quiet street by St. Paul’s cathedral in London, where, far from their native Peking, they struggle to navigate the bustling pavements and myriad of social conventions of 1920s English society.

From their well-meaning landlady Mrs Wedderburn and her carefree daughter Mary, to the old China hands the Reverend Ely and his formidable wife, the Mas encounter all sorts in this story of unexpected love, crossed wires and antipathy.

A major contribution to the early twentieth-century conversation on Sino-British relations, Mr Ma and Son, is a compelling, witty tale of cultural give-and-take from one of China’s best-loved authors.