Although it existed only from 1930 until 1936, the Shanghai-based League of Left Wing Writers organized by the Chinese Communist Party occupies an important place in the development of China's 20th-century politics and literature. This detailed account of the League's origins, organization, and activities focuses on the theoretical and practical issues faced by left-wing intellectuals during a period of suppression, as well as on the personalities involved. Distributed in the US and Canada by St. Martin's Press. Annotation(c) 2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)