Watching TV with the Red Chinese

the novel and the film

 

Published in hardcover by Algonquin, and reprinted in paperback by Time Warner Books, Watching TV with the Red Chinese was made into a film by director Shimon Dotan in 2012. Below are some review excerpts, and (still to come) links to scenes from the film.

•     •     •

 

"Hip, quirky, interspliced tale of sexual obsession, culture shock, and aesthetics . . . a tour de force . . . an excellently readable book."         

—Review of Contemporary Fiction

 

•     •     •

 

"This funny, poignant first novel . . . introduces Whisnant as a sort of Ford Madox Ford of the MTV generation."  

—Publishers Weekly

 

•     •     •

 

"Essential reading. . . . Whisnant's rich narrative style and masterful balance . . . . [add up to] a powerful debut."       

—Library Journal

 

•     •     •

 

"Smart, hip . . . daring . . ."    

—Philadelphia Inquirer

 

•     •     •

 

"[A] beautifully balanced book. . . . Fresh and ingeniously constructed."

—Los Angeles Times Book Review

 

•     •     •

 

"Compelling . . . Presents the reader with an oblique, ingenious critique of American culture. The reader will very likely leave Whisnant's first novel entertained, and perhaps a little enlightened."   

—The Boston Globe 

 

•     •     •

 

"Amusing and painful. . . . Warmth for the characters is delicately balanced with a sense of surrealism."   

—The New Yorker

 

__________________

 

the new york times review of the film:

"How Lennon's Death Affected U.S.-Chinese Relations"

 

Watching TV with the Red Chinese cover design:

paperback: John Gosfield; hardcover: Molly Renda