Our Story

A beautifully warm, personal, human story of life, love and family

Forbidden Planet

Pingru, [at age] 95, makes his literary debut with a charming memoir illustrated with his own evocative watercolors... A graceful, gently told narrative of contentment and resilience

Kirkus Reviews

A masterpiece of memory... Our Story is a deeply personal portrait of Rao Pingru's life and marriage as well as a gripping account of China in the 20th century

The Culture Trip

Thanks to the persuasive power of its humane and humorous author, Our Story is as hard to resist as the great, rich, rambling serial narratives of the oral storytellers who travelled from one Chinese village to another

Hilary Spurling, The Spectator

Humane and humorous... Our Story is as hard to resist as the great, rich, rambling serial narratives of the oral storytellers who travelled from one Chinese village to another in the past, drawing entire populations out of their houses to sit on the hillside and listen

Spectator

His pictures tell expressively of his talent for observation but also of his capacity for happiness… A wonderful book, full of energy and curiosity

Muriel Zagha, Elephant

Pingru’s intimate, illustrated memoir of a life shared with his wife, Meitang, offers a touching portrait of marriage. The story is driven by rich memories of everyday life...paired with Pingru’s expressive ink drawings... Our Story makes a compelling case for love’s power

Booklist

A deeply moving love letter… Almost every page is gorgeously illustrated with his enchanting, sometimes heartbreaking paintings

Asia Review of Books

Using spare prose and stunning, full-colour illustrations, Pingru reveals his struggles, joys, and enduring love for his wife over the course of their lives in a dramatically changing China... Pingru's exquisite, visually dazzling memoir reveals an ordinary life lived in extraordinary times

Publisher's Weekly