The second updated edition of Harbin Dang’an (The Harbin Files), translated by Li Yao, was published in April 2018 by the San Lian Bookstore Publishing company of Beijing.
The story of Mara’s family was first brought back to China with the publication of the first edition of (Harbin Dang’an), translated by Li Yao, by the Zhonghua Book Company in October 2008.
Professor Li Yao, a highly accomplished translator of Australian literature, has received multiple awards for his work, including an Australia China Council award in 2008 and an honorary doctorate from the University of Sydney in 2014. In April 2018 he was honoured with the re-publication of ten volumes of his translations of Australian literature.
2018 SECOND CHINESE EDITION – EXPANDED AND UPDATED
Promotion for Book Launch in Harbin 5 May 2018
Report of Launch Harbin 6 May 2018
Harbin TV reports launch of The Harbin Files 6 May 2018
NSW Jewish Chinese Friendship Celebration 28 August 2018 at Sydney Jewish Museum
Report in The Australian newspaper by Heidi Han, 4 September 2018.
“Mara Moustafine, an award winning-author and researcher gave a keynote presentation about the Jews and their history in Harbin.”
PRAISE
‘We should not turn our faces away from reality and history.’
– Wang Meng, author and former Vice-President of the Chinese Writers Association and Minister of Culture of the Peoples’ Republic of China 1986-89
‘I am very pleased to recommend Mara Moustafine’s superb book, Secrets and Spies, to readers in China. In tracing her family’s complex history across China, Russia and Australia … she brings to life the unique culture of Harbin’s early years, while also reminding us that the tumultuous historical events of the twentieth century were truly global in their impact and ramifications. Secrets and Spies was warmly received upon its release in Australia, where readers were often surprised to discover a way of life of which they were not aware. I am glad that readers in China will now also have the opportunity to explore this little known but fascinating aspect of China’s history.’
– Dr Geoff Raby, former Australian Ambassador to China, 2008
‘… At a time when China is again stepping on to the world stage, the author reminds us of the multicultural heritage of Harbin, where her grandparents made their home. She brings alive the vanished world of the Harbin Russian community, but also looks to the future in the links she has established with Harbin people seeking to preserve their heritage. For Chinese readers, there is special interest in the revelations about the fate of the author’s relatives, idealistic young people who returned to the Soviet Union to help build socialism but found their ideals and lives destroyed by Stalin’s terror.’
– Alan Thomas, former Australian Ambassador to China (2003-07)