Two young men from the city are sent for "re-education" by peasants to a remote mountainside village.
Set amid the insanity of China's cultural revolution, the story follows the pair as they grow up amongst their new harsher life in the country.
The two become avid storytellers, reading great works of literature (mostly banned) to, among others, the daughter of the local tailor, in an effort to win her heart.
This has a dramatic affect on the girl's life, but the result isn't exactly what the boys had in mind....
An excellent read, and quite a refreshing read - very life-affirming.