The Courage to Stand Alone: Letters from Prison and Other Writings

For some writers, publication is an achievement; for Wei Jingsheng it is closer to a miracle. The letters Wei wrote during his first 15 years as a political prisoner in China are addressed to his family, to various officials, and even to Deng Xiaoping. They relate ambitious ideas regarding the environment, human rights, Hong Kong, and the Tiananmen Square massacre, among others; and they are undeniably critical of the regime. So how did these provocative epistles get published? In 1995 China wanted to release Wei as a public relations gambit in its bid for the 2000 Olympics. Wei wanted the file of letters he knew prison officials kept. He and the government swapped amnesty for the letters, which Wei hoped to use for a planned autobiography. Six months later, he was sentenced to another 14-year term for speaking out, and he has disappeared into silence once more. The Courage to Stand Alone, edited and translated by Kristina M. Torgeson, is the voice he left behind.

What inner strength allows a human being to withstand years of torture, deprivation, and neglect? These amazing letters give some indication of the fierce, intelligent mind that persevered when all hope was gone. By the time he is released in 2009--assuming he survives this second imprisonment--Wei will have spent half his life in prison. The Courage to Stand Alone makes clear just what China has lost.