A Lonely Journey
The author died in January 2009. He had a miserable life which shocked me after I heard of his story and how he was killed in the end. He was burnt to death by his adopted son in early 2009. So I redesigned and made the handbook to mourn him. Having undergone World War II, the Chinese Civil war and his parent’s death, as a young soldier, he came to Taiwan with the KMT troops in 1947 and stayed till 1989, when he first returned to his hometown in china.
He took up writing when he was little and had been keen on it even when he served in the army or taught in junior high school. However, unlike other writers and poets, he was not interested in fame or wealth, and he spent all of his savings to take care of his adopted son, who was seriously mentally ill, so he always lived in poverty. Sadly, earlier this year, he was burned to death by his son because of refusing his request for money. I redesigned this book as I felt sad about the author’s life. He had never gotten the reputation he deserved and lived a miserable life. The reason for his death is also unacceptable and unbelievable to me.
I felt it was not fair for him in my mind; therefore, the only way I could do for him was to make something for him with my most significant efforts. By taking this inconvenient way, I would like to slow down reading speed and increase the reading difficulty as I do not think readers can feel his miserable life by just browsing. I also hope this layout will make it necessary for readers to put the book on the desk to read by looking over carefully, which has readers unconsciously show their respect for the book in action(even though it is only expressed in form).
