LITTLE RED GUARD

Wenguang Huang’s grandmother’s fear of being cremated after her death became a major focal point for the Huang family, who sought to honor her wish to be buried, although the practice of burial, as a traditional Chinese custom, had been outlawed by the Communist regime. Obtaining a coffin, preparing burial items, and hiding the evidence from the authorities became a source of discord between her obedient son and the rest of his family, who would often go without for the sake of the grandmother’s wishes. Adam Verner’s performance is calm and measured, conveying a suitable tone for a memoirist who is exploring his family relations and the political and social situation in China in the 1970s. The narration is understated yet quietly engaging. S.E.G. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2012]