Reviews

Tysiąc lat radości i trosk. Wspomnienia by Ai Weiwei

randomshai's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5

isidora's review against another edition

3.0

Ai Weiwei schrijft voor zijn zoon maar toch vooral ook ondat hij indruk op zijn vader wil maken waaraan hij de helft van het boek wijdt zonder in te gaan op diens (en later zijn eigen) toch wel minachting voor de vrouwen en kinderen in hun leven. Vond het gewoon redelijk arrogant en soort van macho of gekwelde artiest en het gaf me verder niet zoveel nieuwe inzichten in hoe het is om kunstenaar te zijn onder dictatoriaal bewind.

ahahm's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

sabinaleybold's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

3.5

lren1983's review against another edition

dark hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

vrog12's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense slow-paced

4.5

easytocrash's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.25

harrietbrown's review against another edition

challenging hopeful inspiring slow-paced

3.0

I just found some of the things Ai Weiwei wrote specifically about his interactions with his son to be somewhat unbelievable (I’m sure this isn’t true)

tramopoline742's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

nacho_lvn's review against another edition

5.0

I really liked Ai Weiwei’s memoir because it shines light on the pathway he has followed, the reasons that justify this particular road and the impact it has had in his life- although he reflects on the impact he has had on the world the fact that he focuses on how his path has impacted him and shaped his worldview us very important.

This book is also fundamental because it reminds us how each of us as individuals can make a decision between being complacent or facing off with an unjust system. Weiwei stresses that “when people blur what is right and wrong, what takes over is pragmatism and preoccupation with the expedient.” As a response to this, he posits the importance of freedom as a choice of the individual: “freedom is not a goal but a direction, and it comes into being through the very act of resistance.” It is our choice if we resist, or as has been elsewhere-ludicrously proposed- we exercise our “negative” freedom.