Monkey, A Journey to the West [Abridged] [Paperback]

David Kherdian (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 9, 2000

     Part historical epic, part social satire, and part spiritual allegory, the folk novel Journey to the West, which came to be known as Monkey, is probably the most popular book in all of East Asia. David Kherdian's retelling brings this classic of Chinese literature to life for the first time in a way that is true to the scope and depth of the original.

Editorial Reviews

Review

     "A brilliant rendition...charming and utterly delightful." –Huston Smith

About the Author

David Kherdian is the author of over thirty books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. His biography of his mother, The Road from Home: The Story of an Armenian Girl , was nominated for the National Book Award, the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, the Jane Addams Peace Award, and the Friends of American Writers Award. He currently lives in Blue Hill (Bangor), Maine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala; abridged edition edition (May 9, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570625816
• ISBN-13: 978-1570625817
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,472,859 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent translation, well-selected chapters, January 9, 2002

By 

Bradford Daniels (Redmond, WA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Monkey, A Journey to the West (Paperback)

I currently own 3 different versions of "Journey to the West", and of the three, this one is probably the best compromise between detail and brevity. I am currently reading it to my 7-year-old (I read it by myself a while ago), and while the vocabulary is definitely a stretch (I have to explain 4 or 5 words on most pages), he's really loving it. The story has all the appeal of a Martial Arts novel, The Wizard of Oz, and a Buddhist philosophical treatise blended into a thoroughly entertaining tale for all ages.

I previously read "Adventures of Monkey King" (ISBN 0962076511) to my son, and while the language was much more appropriate for a young child, the story was overly abridged, and a lot of the detail that makes the story fun and interesting was lost.

This edition tells the beginning and the end of the story very well, but leaves out all of the middle episodes between finding the dragon horse, Pigsy, and Sandy and getting to the mountain of fire. As a result, Pigsy and Sandy are a bit under-developed, but the Monkey King definitely gets a real chance to shine, and you do get a decent feel for Pigsy and Tripitaka, at least. I kind of appreciate that they left the whole middle section out instead of picking random stories, because that makes it easier to go back to the full version of the story ("Journey to the West (4-Volume Boxed Set)", ISBN 7119016636), and fill in the missing stories if you want to.

The way it's told here, the actual journey itself is the smallest part of the story. It's all about setting up the characters and reaching Inda. In the full-length version, the story is mostly about the journey, and how it changes the characters.

This version is very good for those who want to get the flavor of the characters and "find out what happens", but the full version is best for those who really just want to enjoy reading about the Monkey King doing what he does best, and aren't anxious for it to end. Be warned, though, the full version can drag a bit if you're hoping to actually see the plot move along.

I have heard that the book "Monkey/Folk Novel of China" (ISBN 0802130860) best captures the comedic aspects of the story, so that will be my next purchase.

The British (well, really, Chinese via Japan) TV series "Monkey" is also based on this story. I discovered that it has recently been released on DVD in Australia, and that a British release is coming that will include the 13 previously unaired Japanese episodes (with subtitles). As the series was never aired in America, I may need to buy a PAL DVD player to watch it, so that's what I plan to do. The story is that good.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what it promises, February 28, 2004

By 

J. Stephen Pearson (UT Knoxville) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Monkey, A Journey to the West (Paperback)

This is a decent telling of the Chinese story, but it doesn't deliver on its own promises: Kherdian says that he includes more episodes and more of the spiritual aspects of the story than are found in the famous Arthur Waley version, but sadly, he does no such thing (especially in a crucial and famous scene toward the end). Kherdian's version is certainly readable and enjoyable, but Waley's is more thorough and includes more of the religious elements of the original.

However, Kherdian's version may be better for younger readers than Waley's as, of the two abridgements, it is the easier to read.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Heavy on the Battles/Fighting, Lighter on the Wisdom, January 29, 2002

By 

Mark R. Seiler (Chapel Hill, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Monkey, A Journey to the West (Paperback)

Monkey was not exactly what I was expecting. From the description, I thought this story would be heavily involved in Eastern Philosohpy, and use analogies to explain the Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucianist dogmas.
Instead, the majority of the book describes the dozens of battles between monkey and various demons and spirits. The specifics/tactics of these battles are described, including weapons (axes, swords, maces, monkey's cudgel, etc.), the magical transformations used (monkey growing to 10000 feet tall, or turning into a bird, etc.), and the status of the battle (300 rounds and no-one gaining an advantage, the opponents head being chopped off, etc.).
Although there is some discussion of monkey's training in "The Way" (with some Taoist and Confucianist ideas), and some of the Buddhist theories (right action, non-violence), the story is more focused on the adventures and battles of monkey and his master, who is searching for Buddhist scrolls.