I am a computer science undergrad at UTSA studying to become a data engineer. In my free time I like playing the electric guitar, juggling, cooking, and working out. I'm a language enthusiast who has been studying Mandarin for nearly a decade and just got started with Spanish. My favorite beer is Guinness.
I have been teaching myself Mandarin for almost a decade. Here is a list of the books I have read in Mandarin.
Total pages read: 4072
天才在左，疯子在右
Author: 高铭 (Gao Ming)
Pages: 360
This was the first book I fully read in Chinese. It follows a psychologist who interviews people with strange and rare mental afflictions. Great first read!
三体
Author: 刘慈欣 (Liu Cixin)
Pages: 298
This is an amazing sci-fi novel chock-full of scientific vocabulary. I HIGHLY recommend you read this before watching the Netflix series.
黑暗森林
Author: 刘慈欣 (Liu Cixin)
Pages: 470
A worthy sequel of the second book. Again, please read this before you watch the Netflix series. The scene with the teardrop is peak and brilliant sci-fi.
死神永生
Author: 刘慈欣 (Liu Cixin)
Pages: 513
Not as fantastic as the previous two installments, but still worth reading. If you are looking for a happy ending, you will be disappointed.
活着
Author: 余华 (Yu Hua)
Pages: 184
This was my introduction to Yu Hua and Chinese contemporary fiction. This book explores the ravages of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.
兄弟
Author: 余华 (Yu Hua)
Pages: 630
This is maybe my favorite book of all time. It combines tragedy and absurdity in a way you've probably never read before. It's also very out of pocket at times.
白夜行
Author: 东野圭吾 (Keigo Higashino)
Pages: 598
This was my introduction into Japanese crime fiction, and the first Chinese book I read that wasn't written originally in Chinese. This book is fun, sick, and twisted. There are too many characters to keep track of though
解忧杂货店
Author: 东野圭吾 (Keigo Higashino)
Pages: 291
This is a non-crime novel by Keigo Higashino. Although I learned some new vocabulary from it, ultimately, I found it wishy-washy and boring. Not sure if I would recommend it.
新参者
Author: 东野圭吾 (Keigo Higashino)
Pages: 252
Another crime novel by Keigo Higashino. It doesn't stack up to 白夜行 (which may be his magnum opus), but still worth reading if you are a fan of the genre.
嫌疑人X的献身
Author: 东野圭吾 (Keigo Higashino)
Pages: 251
Another crime novel by Keigo Higashino. If 白夜行 is his magnum opus, then this may be in second place. If you love disturbing twists, check this one out.
第七天
Author: 余华 (Yu Hua)
Pages: 225
This book saw me return to Yu Hua. Unlike his previous works, this work deals with modern China. It seems as if Western and Eastern critics don't care too much for the book, and neither do I.