The Gray Earth: A NovelThe acclaimed Mongolian author of The Blue Sky continues his autobiographical trilogy as a young shepherd leaves his ancestral home for boarding school. This powerful, sweeping novel continues the saga of Dshurukawaa, the Tuvan shepherd boy introduced in The Blue Sky. Torn between the onset of visions and pressure from his family to attend a state boarding school, the adolescent attempts to mediate the pull of spirituality and pragmatism, old ways and new. Taken from his ancestral home, he reunites with his siblings at a boarding school, where his brother also serves as principal. Soon he comes to understand that the main purpose of the school is to strip the Tuvans of their language and traditions, and to make them conform to party ideals. When tragedy strikes, Dshurukawaa begins to sense the larger import of his visions, and with it a possible escape. Tschinag’s lyrical language, his striking characterizations, and his evocation of a singular way of life make The Gray Earth an unforgettable read and a worthy follow-up to The Blue Sky. |
Contents
| 3 | |
| 17 | |
| 27 | |
Number One Hundred | 39 |
The Prisoner | 53 |
The Onset of Winter | 75 |
Wrong Question | 97 |
Little Blue Mouse | 125 |
The Black Tail of the White Rabbit | 151 |
AllGood and Half Good Days | 179 |
Day without Sky | 209 |
A Stove Goes Out | 233 |
Devouring the Stone | 271 |
Glossary | 299 |
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Common terms and phrases
Altai aragy aunt Bagshy big brother Bitshi Gök Güsge body bones bowl Brother Dshokonaj Brother Galkaan Buja called child comes Comrade Arganak Comrade Principal corner darga dark dear District Administration doesn’t door Dügüj earth everything eyes face Father and Mother feel fingers flatbread flock front Galsan Tschinag Gök’s hand happened hard head hear horse inside jumps juniper Kazakh keep Khorloogiin Choibalsan larch later lawashak leader leave legs light lips listen little blue mouse looks Mongolian morning mountain mouth night ovoo people’s prison pull quickly quiet rocks says scream shake shaman shawyd silent Sister Torlaa skin someone soon sounds Stalin stand stay steppe stop Suddenly Sürgündü talk teacher tears tell tree turn Tuvan udarnik Ulaanbaatar voice wait walk What’s whisper won’t words you’re yurt