Lu Min 魯敏

Lu Min (b. 1973) is one of the most critically acclaimed writers of her generation. Her prolific output in recent years -- she has published five novels and seven short story collections -- has been exceeded in number only by the flood of prizes that have accompanied it, including the prestigious Lu Xun prize for short fiction, Reader’s Selection for best novel by Short Story Magazine, 2011 Best Female Writer Award, the People’s Literary Award etc. In 2012, she was chosen by China's People's Literature magazine and Taiwan's Unitas as one of the 20 best writers under 40. As critic Zhang Li put it:

Lu's keen eye and inventiveness differentiate her from other writers of her age group and equip her to explore the abyss that we know to be the human condition. In fact, Lu may well be the leader of the new generation of writers looking to extend the artistic possibilities of contemporary Chinese fiction.

Her novel DINNER FOR SIX is her most accomplished work to date. Engulfed by the choking air of a large Chinese city's factory zone, the story follows the lives of six characters forced to sit across from each other every Saturday evening at the dinner table, at once an uncomfortable composite family and a collection of six lonely souls, struggling with the harsh realities of life in the new China.