英语 英语 日语 日语 韩语 韩语 法语 法语 德语 德语 西班牙语 西班牙语 意大利语 意大利语 阿拉伯语 阿拉伯语 葡萄牙语 葡萄牙语 越南语 越南语 俄语 俄语 芬兰语 芬兰语 泰语 泰语 泰语 丹麦语 泰语 对外汉语

美国国家公共电台 NPR In 'Beijing Payback,' The Immigrant Experience, But Make It A Crime Thriller

时间:2019-07-29 02:39来源:互联网 提供网友:nan   字体: [ ]
特别声明:本栏目内容均从网络收集或者网友提供,供仅参考试用,我们无法保证内容完整和正确。如果资料损害了您的权益,请与站长联系,我们将及时删除并致以歉意。
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

 

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

The author Daniel Nieh has tried on more careers than a model tries on outfits1. In fact, Nieh has been an international model. He has also worked as a Chinese interpreter. And both of those jobs inform his debut2 novel "Beijing Payback."

DANIEL NIEH: As a model and as a translator, you're always behind the scenes. You know, you get backstage. You're a fly on the wall. You're there to be seen or to be heard but maybe not to speak. And so you get to witness all kinds of different bizarre situations.

SHAPIRO: "Beijing Payback" is full of those situations - glitzy nightclubs full of models and mobsters, strip mall massage3 parlors4, the underground layer of a Chinese gang kingpin. This thriller5 travels from Southern California to China, and Daniel Nieh's work as an interpreter came in handy bridging those two worlds.

NIEH: I mean, as a translator, interpreter, in both of those roles, you're working on communication. And there's no such thing as 100% accuracy, either when you're talking about a document or when you're talking about when people speak to each other. So especially when you're working doing consecutive6 or simultaneous interpretation7, you have to be really on your toes about cultural sensitivities and reading moods and that kind of thing. And overall, that's the kind of sensitivity and attention to detail that really fuels good prose and good fiction.

SHAPIRO: One of the central relationships in this story is between your protagonist8, Victor Li, who grew up in the U.S. and his Chinese-born father, who, we should mention, on page one of the book we discover has been killed. How did you envision this relationship?

NIEH: This is a situation that is really universal in one way, which is that when you're in your teens or maybe in your early 20s like Victor is, at a certain point, you realize that your parents aren't perfect. And you stop worshiping them, and maybe you start resenting them or resisting them.

SHAPIRO: Yeah.

NIEH: You know, and then that usually for people evolves into a phase three where, you know, maybe later on in your 20s or in your 30s, you accept them, you forgive them, you feel grateful to them. So that's a universal story that I myself have experienced. It's just a part of coming of age.

At the same time, it's more complicated in this situation because here is someone who is born in a completely different context - this is the father - and he's never really shared that story with his son. And so his son is in the process throughout this book of discovering his father's background and childhood. And that's kind of the crux9 of the novel.

SHAPIRO: That also seems so true of the immigrant experience, where the children of immigrants often feel like their parents' experience in the other country is kind of shrouded10 in mystery. And in your book, not only is it shrouded in mystery, that mystery conceals11 secrets involving organized crime and, you know, massive conspiracies12. But there does seem to be a really universal kernel13 of truth in there about being the child of an immigrant.

NIEH: Absolutely. And the thing here is in my book, that's couched in this thrilling plot because I wanted to write an exciting page-turning crime thriller. But for people like me who are the children of immigrants, that seems almost universally true. And I grew up in this environment where, you know, I had a very loving father who did a lot of parenting to me, who took a lot of interests in my interests. But he never spoke14 about his childhood in China. He never spoke about the crazy things he had experienced. And I didn't know that he had come to this country as a refugee until I was in my 20s.

SHAPIRO: Really?

NIEH: People, when they immigrate15, they often feel like a - almost like a sense that they have to hide who they were. But the truth is - and it's dramatized in this book - but the truth is most of the people who have come to this country have some crazy stories to tell about...

SHAPIRO: Yeah.

NIEH: ...How they got here and a completely different upbringing than the children who they raise in a completely different environment.

SHAPIRO: What did you learn about your father when you had that conversation in your 20s? I mean, what is his story?

NIEH: It's a really - it's a really good story because my father was from an aristocratic background in Shanghai. So he grew up the descendant of a very famous general and of another mayor. And they had servants and a big house. But when he was 8 years old, that all came to an end because he was part of the status quo, and communists took over China in 1949. And he and his family moved to Hong Kong where they would be safe.

And so once he was in Hong Kong, he was just sort of more an ordinary person. And that's where he spent his formative years from around 8 years old to about 20. And then he moved to the United States. And all of a sudden, he was an undergrad studying engineering at Southern Methodist University in Texas. And then we're talking about the 1960s, so he was a complete fish out of water. And I think that diversity of experience in the first three decades of his life really shaped him into an extremely flexible and extremely courageous16 person. And that's one of the reasons I've always looked up to him and, you know, been interested in having my own adventures and I think probably being a little less averse17 to risk than I might otherwise be.

SHAPIRO: And up until the time you had that conversation with your father when you were in your 20s, did you try to broach18 the subject and he didn't want to? Or was it just understood that this was something you don't talk about in the family?

NIEH: You know, I had such a great childhood that I never realized these things were secrets. It's just I didn't think of my dad as, like, a storyteller. But the thing about that is that means that things go unsaid. You never realize you never have a chance to explore what makes you maybe a little different than your peers. And so that's what I was always curious about. But my dad never shut me down on those things. It's just not an area of interest to him. He doesn't like talking about it. And I never had really - I didn't even know what to ask as a kid.

SHAPIRO: You know, I'm thinking there is a world in which given your family history, you would write a sort of reverential story of migration19. And instead, you've got this kind of, like, gun-slinging, bodies piling up, almost, like, action movie thriller in which your father, who came to the U.S. as a refugee, is paralleled with this figure who was, like, deep in organized crime.

NIEH: Yeah, yeah. And, you know, my parents only read the book this year. And I was like look, Mom and Dad, this isn't you.

SHAPIRO: (Laughter).

NIEH: And...

SHAPIRO: Thank goodness.

NIEH: But - yeah, right. And - but that said, the father in the book does have this background in organized crime. And he's done some bad stuff. At the same time, the point of the book is to show that he had his reasons, and he's a such a loving father and really the core, the rock in Victor's life. And that's why it's so crazy for Victor to discover these things about his father's past.

And, you know, if there's a moral core of the book, it's the idea that there are shades of grey that if you don't know the whole context of somebody's actions, you can't say for sure that this person who grew up in this really chaotic20 environment had a choice to do anything other than the crimes - what we consider crimes now and, of course, were crimes in China at the time - you know, whether or not those things were - I don't know if they're justified21, but if there's a good explanation for them.

SHAPIRO: So how did your parents react once they read the book?

NIEH: You know, my dad's Chinese. And my mom is Jewish. So they just really want to make sure that I have health insurance.

SHAPIRO: (Laughter).

NIEH: So, you know, they're glad I got a good book deal. And they thought it was a fun ride.

SHAPIRO: The content was a secondary consideration.

NIEH: Yeah.

SHAPIRO: Yeah.

NIEH: Yeah, yeah.

SHAPIRO: That's author Daniel Nieh. His new book is called "Beijing Payback."

Thanks for joining us.

NIEH: Thank you, Ari. I appreciate it.

(SOUNDBITE OF CULTS SONG, "OH MY GOD")


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 outfits ed01b85fb10ede2eb7d337e0ea2d0bb3     
n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 );一套服装;集体;组织v.装备,配置设备,供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
  • Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具,因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句
2 debut IxGxy     
n.首次演出,初次露面
参考例句:
  • That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里,他初次在百老汇登台,扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
  • The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。
3 massage 6ouz43     
n.按摩,揉;vt.按摩,揉,美化,奉承,篡改数据
参考例句:
  • He is really quite skilled in doing massage.他的按摩技术确实不错。
  • Massage helps relieve the tension in one's muscles.按摩可使僵硬的肌肉松弛。
4 parlors d00eff1cfa3fc47d2b58dbfdec2ddc5e     
客厅( parlor的名词复数 ); 起居室; (旅馆中的)休息室; (通常用来构成合成词)店
参考例句:
  • It had been a firm specializing in funeral parlors and parking lots. 它曾经是一个专门经营殡仪馆和停车场的公司。
  • I walked, my eyes focused into the endless succession of barbershops, beauty parlors, confectioneries. 我走着,眼睛注视着那看不到头的、鳞次栉比的理发店、美容院、糖果店。
5 thriller RIhzU     
n.惊险片,恐怖片
参考例句:
  • He began by writing a thriller.That book sold a million copies.他是写惊险小说起家的。那本书卖了一百万册。
  • I always take a thriller to read on the train.我乘火车时,总带一本惊险小说看。
6 consecutive DpPz0     
adj.连续的,联贯的,始终一贯的
参考例句:
  • It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
  • The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。
7 interpretation P5jxQ     
n.解释,说明,描述;艺术处理
参考例句:
  • His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
  • Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。
8 protagonist mBVyN     
n.(思想观念的)倡导者;主角,主人公
参考例句:
  • The protagonist reforms in the end and avoids his proper punishment.戏剧主角最后改过自新并避免了他应受的惩罚。
  • He is the model for the protagonist in the play.剧本中的主人公就是以他为模特儿创作的!
9 crux 8ydxw     
adj.十字形;难事,关键,最重要点
参考例句:
  • The crux of the matter is how to comprehensively treat this trend.问题的关键是如何全面地看待这种趋势。
  • The crux of the matter is that attitudes have changed.问题的要害是人们的态度转变了。
10 shrouded 6b3958ee6e7b263c722c8b117143345f     
v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 );保密
参考例句:
  • The hills were shrouded in mist . 这些小山被笼罩在薄雾之中。
  • The towers were shrouded in mist. 城楼被蒙上薄雾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 conceals fa59c6f4c4bde9a732332b174939af02     
v.隐藏,隐瞒,遮住( conceal的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • He conceals his worries behind a mask of nonchalance. 他装作若无其事,借以掩饰内心的不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Drunkenness reveals what soberness conceals. 酒醉吐真言。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 conspiracies bb10ad9d56708cad7a00bd97a80be7d9     
n.阴谋,密谋( conspiracy的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • He was still alive and hatching his conspiracies. 他还活着,策划着阴谋诡计。 来自辞典例句
  • It appeared that they had engaged in fresh conspiracies from the very moment of their release. 看上去他们刚给释放,立刻开始新一轮的阴谋活动。 来自英汉文学
13 kernel f3wxW     
n.(果实的)核,仁;(问题)的中心,核心
参考例句:
  • The kernel of his problem is lack of money.他的问题的核心是缺钱。
  • The nutshell includes the kernel.果壳裹住果仁。
14 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
15 immigrate haAxe     
v.(从外国)移来,移居入境
参考例句:
  • 10,000 people are expected to immigrate in the next two years.接下来的两年里预计有10,000人会移民至此。
  • Only few plants can immigrate to the island.只有很少的植物能够移植到这座岛上。
16 courageous HzSx7     
adj.勇敢的,有胆量的
参考例句:
  • We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
  • He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。
17 averse 6u0zk     
adj.厌恶的;反对的,不乐意的
参考例句:
  • I don't smoke cigarettes,but I'm not averse to the occasional cigar.我不吸烟,但我不反对偶尔抽一支雪茄。
  • We are averse to such noisy surroundings.我们不喜欢这么吵闹的环境。
18 broach HsTzn     
v.开瓶,提出(题目)
参考例句:
  • It's a good chance to broach the subject.这是开始提出那个问题的好机会。
  • I thought I'd better broach the matter with my boss.我想我最好还是跟老板说一下这事。
19 migration mDpxj     
n.迁移,移居,(鸟类等的)迁徙
参考例句:
  • Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
  • He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。
20 chaotic rUTyD     
adj.混沌的,一片混乱的,一团糟的
参考例句:
  • Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
  • The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。
21 justified 7pSzrk     
a.正当的,有理的
参考例句:
  • She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
  • The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。
本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎点击提交分享给大家。
------分隔线----------------------------
TAG标签:   NPR  美国国家电台  英语听力
顶一下
(0)
0%
踩一下
(0)
0%
最新评论 查看所有评论
发表评论 查看所有评论
请自觉遵守互联网相关的政策法规,严禁发布色情、暴力、反动的言论。
评价:
表情:
验证码:
听力搜索
推荐频道
论坛新贴