This book was translated from French.
Fresh from years of studying in France, Mr. Muo, returns to China to lay claim to being the county’s first psychoanalyst. With a deep and profound respect for Freud and his teachings, Mr. Muo travels on his bicycle throughout the city, with a bright orange flag flying high above his head, announcing that the Interpreter of Dreams is open for business. Heavy on his mind, however, is a desire to find his first true love, Volcano of the Old Moon, whom he met while in school as a young boy. When Mr. Muo learns that Volcano of the Old Moon, a wife and photographer, has been imprisoned for passing pictures she took of tortured prisoners to Western journalists, he takes up the challenge of securing her release. Mr. Muo's worst fears are realized when he is told that the despised Judge Di is the only one who can reverse the sentence and free Volcano of the Old Moon. Discovering that Judge Di has an insatiable thirst for only two things, mahjong and virgins, Mr. Muo attempts to find the latter in hopes of securing freedom for his love. This fast paced story provides insight and humor as it paints a colorful picture of China in the 21st century, along with an interesting twist on dreams and their meanings. If you enjoyed Dai’s depiction of life in China you may also enjoy his previous book, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress: A Novel.
This refers to an audio version.
