"Centers on the life of Ding Wenyu, a privileged, womanizing, narcissistic professor of languages, and traces the course of the affair that transforms him from outlandish rake to devoted lover."--Jacket.

Four experts describe intriguing insights regarding the overlap of language and culture, from the global proliferation of sign languages, to the idea of language as an expression of identity. Featured are Carol Padden, Prof. of Communication and specialist in sign-languages (UC San Diego), David Belllos, Prof. of French Literature and Comparative Literature (Princeton University), Michael Berry, Prof. of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies (UCLA)...