Do Not Say We Have Nothing is a fictional written by Madeleine Thien and was published in 2016. The book received critical acclaim, winning Thien numerous prestigious awards, including the 2017 Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards.
The story is based around the life of a Chinese immigrant, Ai-Ming, who has arrived to Canada fresh off the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. The story splits into reflections into different eras of Chinese history, covering Mao Zedong's reign and its impact on specific families and characters. It is then followed by a family experiencing the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), and finally brought to Ai-Ming’s account of escaping the Tiananmen Square protests.
The book was critically appraised with The New York Times, stating it was "a powerfully expansive novel" and carried a "remarkable authenticity." The Globe and Mail also praised it, saying that "while Ms. Thien has long been considered one of [Canada]'s most talented young writers, with her books receiving critical acclaim, the country's major literary awards had eluded her - until this year."
