1. ISBN13: 9780812975246
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Editorial Review :

Route 312 is the Chinese Route 66. It flows three thousand miles from east to west, passing through the factory towns of the coastal areas, through the rural heart of China, then up into the Gobi Desert, where it merges with the Old Silk Road. The highway witnesses every part of the social and economic revolution that is turning China upside down.

In this utterly surprising and deeply personal book, acclaimed National Public Radio reporter Rob Gifford, a fluent Mandarin speaker, takes the dramatic journey along Route 312 from its start in the boomtown of Shanghai to its end on the border with Kazakhstan. Gifford reveals the rich mosaic of modern Chinese life in all its contradictions, as he poses the crucial questions that all of us are asking about China: Will it really be the next global superpower? Is it as solid and as powerful as it looks from the outside? And who are the ordinary Chinese people, to whom the twenty-first century is supposed to belong?

Gifford is not alone on his journey. The largest migration in human history is taking place along highways such as Route 312, as tens of millions of people leave their homes in search of work. He sees signs of the booming urban economy everywhere, but he also uncovers many of the country’s frailties, and some of the deep-seated problems that could derail China’s rise.

The whole compelling adventure is told through the cast of colorful characters Gifford meets: garrulous talk-show hosts and ambitious yuppies, impoverished peasants and tragic prostitutes, cell-phone salesmen, AIDS patients, and Tibetan monks. He rides with members of a Shanghai jeep club, hitchhikes across the Gobi desert, and sings karaoke with migrant workers at truck stops along the way.

As he recounts his travels along Route 312, Rob Gifford gives a face to what has historically, for Westerners, been a faceless country and breathes life into a nation that is so often reduced to economic statistics. Finally, he sounds a warning that all is not well in the Chinese heartlands, that serious problems lie ahead, and that the future of the West has become inextricably linked with the fate of 1.3 billion Chinese people.

“Informative, delightful, and powerfully moving . . . Rob Gifford’s acute powers of observation, his sense of humor and adventure, and his determination to explore the wrenching dilemmas of China’s explosive development open readers’ eyes and reward their minds.”
–Robert A. Kapp, president, U.S.-China Business Council, 1994-2004


From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Review :

An amazing journey through China!

In China Road - A Journey into the future of a Rising Power, the author Rob Gifford, takes the reader on an extra-ordinary (virtual) journey through China along Route 312. With this intriguing author, the reader meets a variety of people and places. The main aim of this journey is to find the answer to one particular question: "Where is China headed? Will it be the new superpower of the future - or will it collapse like the Soviet Union in 1991?"

Rob Gifford speaks to and discusses with many Chinese, from poor peasants and prostitutes to business men and multi-millionaires. The whole tour is a great adventure, as asking for public opinion is highly dangerous in China, and Gifford has to take several measures in order to stay out of trouble.

Gifford's style of writing is very catching - exciting, informative and yet humorous at times. The reader learns tons about China today, China's history, and can form an own opinion based on the vast accumulation of inside information, where China is headed. I recommend this book, without a doubt, to anyone even remotely interested in China, history, or a view of the future.

Rating :

Pulitzer Prize!


I cried "Pulitzer" once before for Sarah Chayes' book on Afghanistan - that didn't happen, but I would be remiss if I did not say that this book also deserves one.

British onetime NPR reporter, Rob Gifford, spent many years in China, speaks fluent Mandarin, and has a strong love/frustration relationship with the enigma which is China, it's people, it's traditions, and it's encouraging/maddening rapid transition from a sleeping dragon to a monster - the capacity and character of which cannot yet be determined.

Gifford starts the book as a sandaled, bearded, Kerouac-type hippy traveler busing and hitching along China's backbone route 312, talking to everyone who will talk, from CEO's to Chinese yuppies, to truck drivers, to impoverished farmers, starting in Shanghai and ending up some 3000 miles later at the far west border - having crossed the Gobi Desert on the way.

He ends the book, however, not as the hippy philosopher, Kerouac, but as an astute political scientist and prognosticator of the various possible futures for China, based on her present course. I have read several books on China - of those, this is the best. I would say required reading for anyone who cares about the future, especially college age Americans, whose future will be in many ways entwined with that of China.

Besides all that, it is colorfully well written, and a fascinating read.


Rating :

AMAZING!

Great Book. Showed me a journey into China without travelling.
Excellent for people that marvells understading the opposite culture!

Rating :

A gripping guide to Rob Gifford

China Road is a touchy-feely work for readers with little knowledge of China. Like most second-rate travel books, it tells more about the author than the places he visits. This book should be titled, "Rob Gifford's China Meanderings."

Given this book's superficial take on China, I'd recommended borrowing it from a library rather than buying it.

If breezy, light reads are your thing, Peter Hessler's China books, particularly Oracle Bones, are more informative and a lot more entertaining.

Rating :

informative but ethnocentric

Book is packed with lots of information and observations on China and it is believable, so lots of interesting stories
I prefer writers who are Chinese best. Or at least Westerners who have some understanding and empathy.
Everything in this book is from the writer's American and Christian point of view.
If America does something bad in common with China he excuses it, ie tearing down historic buildings is excusable.
Abortion is evil.
Replacing minority cultures with Han culture is bad but Christian churches are good.
Also China must be headed on a straight path to imitate the USA or else it is bad.
He seems to think that the Han people have no culture nor beliefs and repeats this often.
Also he has a shallow idea of Confucianism which he uses to attack the Chinese.

Rating :

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1. ISBN13: 9780670034710
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Editorial Review :

A celebrated writer’s irresistible, candid, and eloquent account of her pursuit of worldly pleasure, spiritual devotion, and what she really wanted out of life

Around the time Elizabeth Gilbert turned thirty, she went through an early-onslaught midlife crisis. She had everything an educated, ambitious American woman was supposed to want—a husband, a house, a successful career. But instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she was consumed with panic, grief, and confusion. She went through a divorce, a crushing depression, another failed love, and the eradication of everything she ever thought she was supposed to be.

To recover from all this, Gilbert took a radical step. In order to give herself the time and space to find out who she really was and what she really wanted, she got rid of her belongings, quit her job, and undertook a yearlong journey around the world—all alone. Eat, Pray, Love is the absorbing chronicle of that year. Her aim was to visit three places where she could examine one aspect of her own nature set against the backdrop of a culture that has traditionally done that one thing very well. In Rome, she studied the art of pleasure, learning to speak Italian and gaining the twenty-three happiest pounds of her life. India was for the art of devotion, and with the help of a native guru and a surprisingly wise cowboy from Texas, she embarked on four uninterrupted months of spiritual exploration. In Bali, she studied the art of balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. She became the pupil of an elderly medicine man and also fell in love the best way—unexpectedly.

An intensely articulate and moving memoir of self-discovery, Eat, Pray, Love is about what can happen when you claim responsibility for your own contentment and stop trying to live in imitation of society’s ideals. It is certain to touch anyone who has ever woken up to the unrelenting need for change.

Customer Review :

Eat, Pray, Recycle Sex and the City Episodes

Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love chronicles Gilbert's yearlong sabbatical in hopes of healing from her recent divorce, discovering herself, and achieving the balance between pleasure and spirituality. In lieu of her recent messy divorce from her husband, Gilbert begins to look for a meaning beyond her superficial life in her little personal 14-mile wide world, known as Manhattan. She journeys to three very different countries in the pursuit of three equally different aspects of life: pleasure, spirituality and the balance between the two. Gilbert's talent as a writer is undeniable. She has a witty and refreshing writing style that makes Eat, Pray, Love a very entertaining read and what makes her book so entertaining are Gilbert's mini-adventures throughout the book. However, Gilbert develops story lines leave the reader questioning the authenticity and truth behind her story.
In the first stop of her journey, Italy, Gilbert discovers the art of pleasure. In Rome, she develops a steamy, passionate love affair with gelato and pizza. She learns the language, meets new friends and immerses herself in the Italian culture. She embraces the romanticism that makes Italy one of the most unforgettable places on earth, and leaves Italy free of the chains of depression she was bound to in Manhattan.
In India, Gilbert studies the art of devotion. She works with a Guru to guide her spiritual journey. Gilbert sets out to separate herself from the luxuries and chaos that she has padded her life with and separate herself from materialism in order to reach spiritual understanding. Gilbert, frustrated with the difficulty of meditation, spends endless hours in her cluttered mind trying to reach the divine state of cognitive peace. Finally, after weeks of silent meditation, she has a spiritual breakthrough. Gilbert writes, "To know God, you need only to renounce one thing, your division from God" (192). This quote illustrates her realization that in order to be at peace with your spirituality, your must realize that God is not your superior, but a part of your spirit.
Gilbert's last stop is in Bali, Indonesia. In Bali, Gilbert reconnects with an elderly medicine man that teaches her the importance of balance between the art of pleasure, and the art of devotion. In her quest for this balance, she finds herself living out a spiritual love story of her own.
Eat, Pray, Love is a book that could easily be found in the travel or self-help section of a bookstore, however it is considered a spiritual memoir. From the beginning of Gilbert's journey she makes it clear that she is seeking spirituality beyond the Christian belief of one sole and singular God. Instead, she is looking for a more personal and self-reliant god, one who is within Gilbert and accepts her for who she is. She is searching for a God who loves and appreciates her positive traits and accepts and embraces her negative flaws, all at once. Gilbert writes that she, "always responded with breathless excitement to anyone who has ever said that God does not live in a dogmatic scripture or in a distant throne in the sky," (14).
I enjoyed reading about Gilbert's understanding in the Buddhist and Hindu faith, however I felt myself constantly waiting for more insight. While reading Eat, Pray, Love I prayed (no pun intended) that Gilbert would tear down her walls of narcissism and superficiality. Yet despite her spiritual awakening in India, she never reaches this resolution, this aspect made it difficult for me to like and relate to Gilbert as a person and the heroine of her novel.
Gilbert's writing style, riddled with her clever humor and vibrant attention to detail, make for entertaining storylines. I felt like I was walking the crowded streets of Rome with her or perched seaside in India, deep in meditation. I often found myself laughing out loud at her witty commentary. Her unique and witty metaphors/similes such as "Having a baby is like getting a tattoo on your face. You really need to be certain it's what you want before you commit," (67) made her book enjoyable. I found it refreshing that the author of a spiritual memoir could interject borderline cynical and self-deprecating humor without steering too far off the spiritual path.
Despite Gilbert's humor and wit, it is Gilbert's lack of authenticity that made me dislike the book. Every event seems to be prepackaged and wrapped in a bow, leading to a realization and stepping stone for the next event to come. Everything seems to fall in Gilbert's favor. As an avid traveler, I have found this to be true: when travelling, not everything, if ANYTHING, goes according to plan. Gilbert writes "...to travel is worth any cost or sacrifice," however I did not see any sacrifice in Gilbert's journey in between drinking wine on the sea in Italy and meeting her soul mate. It was all a little too Hollywood for me, as if Gilbert wrote her memoir with a future screenplay adaptation in mind.
A memoir clearly geared for women in their mid 30's to early 40's, at times it felt as though I was reading recycled Sex and the City plots. Gilbert's stories were complete with the same rising action, climax and resolution that is expected in a 30 minute television show. Trite quotes such as, "In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it's wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely," (147) made me roll my eyes and made me at how obviously she was preying on middle-aged women on the cusp of a mid-life crisis, looking for a spiritual guru to lean on.
For a reader looking for a spiritual memoir, I would not recommend Eat, Pray, Love. Gilbert's book has an entertaining plot and story, but Gilbert's book as a whole is just that: a story. Her lack of authenticity and superficiality make this book just another New York Times Bestseller, not a staple for bookshelves or a tool for spiritual enlightenment.


Rating :

Really great book overall

I read a bunch of reviews before purchasing the book. A friend highly recommended the book as well. I had read one review that mentioned Elizabeth being selfish and complaining a lot. My response to that review is that Elizabeth is supposed to be selfish! She is on a journey of self-discovery! She isn't traveling to save the poor in 3rd world countries. She specifically traveled to write the book about her own personal experience on how she wanted to figure out her place in life and how to heal a broken heart. This book wasn't meant to be a self-help book for others necessarily. She wanted to figure out her own problems and the reader could probably relate in one way or another. I also considered how she did some complaining, but who cares?? Again, that's part of the process towards how someone learns and grows. People fight the truth and reality and on that journey, the learning process can be tough because you are discovering new things about yourself which is why Elizabeth complained a lot. But notice by the end of the book she was A LOT more calm and relieved and satisfied. That's why it's such a great book, because you start to really learn and grow with Elizabeth and feel that sigh of relief in the end. My favorite part was in the end when she talks about the tree wanting the acorn to grow into itself. It really made sense of the book as a whole. The one reason why I gave 4 stars and not 5 stars was because i did find myself browsing over some overly-descriptive thoughts or hypothetical ideas that didn't have anything specifically to do with the actual storyline - i felt the same about DaVinci Code - which i loved too, but would have again only given 4 stars for a similar writing style reason.

Rating :

Sweet and Helpful

I enjoyed this book at the time of reading. I had been going through a similar process myself, and it was wonderful to follow Elizabeth's journey of self-deprecating wit and humor amidst a rather turbulent mental breakdown.

Rating :

satisfying...

I really enjoyed this book. It reads like non-fiction and still warms the heart. It has also inspired me to travel and explore more.

Rating :

excellent read

I could barely put this book down, it was so engrossing. It was an honest and entertaining narrative.

Rating :

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1. ISBN13: 9781933330518
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Editorial Review :

Customer Review :

Out of date info.

For a book with a publishing date of 2008, this is stunningly out of date. Just got back from my trip to China (Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an) and virtually nothing stated in this book was true. One stand-out: yes, they're right: most toilet stalls don't have paper. But no, there is none for sale or available by the door. BYO tissues or moist towels - those are useful anyway for keeping your hands clean through the day, too. Also, the info. on how to bargain is good; yes, skimpy tops do raise a few eyebrows [more amused and surprised than angry]; and certainly, non-queueing is an art form especially among seniors.

But dead wrong (for my three stops): taxi drivers are literate and can read your hotel address in Chinese if you bring it with you; crossing the street is fairly easy as long as you keep your eyes open and obey the electronic signs (which even count down to tell you how many seconds you have before they are going to change to red); taxi drivers are aggressive but don't drive particularly fast so it's hardly a white-knuckle experience; western-style toilets are available at almost all markets, tourist sites and restaurants; and everything in our hotel rooms was clean and in full working order (4 hotels). Shorts are fine, too.

The stories of the authors' travels are cute, and I can't comment on the business etiquette or medical info., but unless you are traveling back in time or to the remotest hinterlands I doubt you will encounter many of the problems mentioned here. I also found the politics somewhat suspect although I understand that praising dictatorship as the only way to control so large a population may go down well with the officials the authors have to deal with to get their forthcoming documentary made. In any case, I left my copy in Shanghai as it wasn't worth bringing home and I hope the hotel maid had a good sense of humor as she perused it on her way home in the city's brand-new subway system that night.

Other hints for travelers: I had no idea going in that so much info (road signs, restaurant names and menus, tourist info. signs, etc.) would be in English. That, the warm people and the wonderful taxis made getting around much easier than I expected. Also: try to avoid visiting during the first few days of the National Holiday (Oct 1-8). The first two days are military parades and regional spectacles in Beijing, so Tiananmen Square is in use and the Forbidden City is closed to the public, which makes Oct 3-5 *very* busy as most Chinese get the whole week off and flock to visit the sights (esp. the Square, the City and the Badaling section of the Wall). The Mutianyu section of the Wall is a bit further from Beijing but a much better choice -- it was not at all crowded even on the 4th. By about the 6th, things are calming down all over, as the Chinese start to head home. Finally -- if you go to Xi'an, make time to visit the "little warriors" at Xianyiang[sp?], near the airport, as well as the more famous (and admittedly very fabulous) Qin warriors.

Rating :

China Survival Guide: How to Avoid Travel Troubles and Mortifying Mishaps

I've been reading a lot about China in preparation for my trip and this book, by far, has the best practical information for travelers -- tips like "never take a black taxi," make sure you inspect your hotel room, when to go to get your breakfast at the buffet in the hotel, where to exchange money, and what to do if you have a medical emergency. Never having been to China, I really didn't know what to expect. I think I now have a better feel for what I will encounter.

Rating :

Never underestimates the problems

If you are at all interested in travel in China then this book is absolutely worth the money and the time. Get it. But when you read the reviews here you should keep track of which reviewers had and which had not been in China at the time they wrote the review. Some people enjoy the book very much but have no way of saying how accurate or practical it is.

In a nutshell: it is very practical, and increasingly out of date even though it was recently published. China is changing incredibly fast, not only the major cites. Many things will be easier for foreign visitors than this book says. The only thing that might be a bit harder is that Chinese tourist sites are ever more jam packed, largely with Chinese tourists from all over the country. When you see the Summer Palace you will also see a great deal of today's China!

The book says ATMs that accept foreign cards are not easy to find even in the largest cities. I can tell you they were very easy to find in Beijing in 2007. The book says that Beijing will try to phase out the shabby 1.20 yuan taxi cabs, leaving only the higher priced 1.60 and 2.00 yuan cabs for the 2008 Olympic Games (plus the unofficial "black" cabs - which they say not to take and I believe they are right). The city did better than that even before this book was printed. During a week in Beijing in 2007 I saw only 2.00 yuan cabs. They were quite nice and that is still a very low price.

The book says people on the street will not stand in line. It warns that people will be quite rude on the street in contrast to how extremely nice they will be in person. Well, the nice in person part remains true. But I found people in Beijing stood in long lines just fine for street food vendors, in fact they seemed impressed that a foreigner could also master this skill! The people of Beijing were given intensive instructions on good behavior leading up to the Olympics. It was a bit like the efforts to make New York City safer and more tourist-friendly in the 1990s only with more focus on politeness and less on crime. The same is happening in other cities, drawing on the Beijing experience, as the others host major international events.

But really these are details, and if anything this book will lead you to plan more carefully than you need to -- it will not lead you into unforeseen trouble!

Rating :

Very useful, mostly correct

I read this prior to a trip to China. It was very useful to understand many things we encountered. Only one glitch--it says Chinese people don't wear shorts in public. That probably changed recently, as shorts appeared to be common. Other than that, highly recommended.

Rating :

Cheap and fun enough

The book is cheap and quite fun. However, I do not think that reflects the reality. I suppose that China was not so different from the book version when the anecdotes actually happened. However after visiting China (2009) I am not sure if the vision still holds.

Anyway fun... It is worth while trying before going to China :)

Rating :

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Editorial Review :

Sandy beaches baked by a brilliant sun, mysterious alleyways winding onto hidden squares, whitewashed homes draped with bougainvillea, and majestic archaeological ruins---all surrounded by that impossibly deep-blue water. It’s easy to see why so many travelers are enchanted by the Greek islands. This brand-new book gives a thorough overview of the best islands Greece has to offer, as well as full coverage of Athens and the major mainland ports. Whether you are going by cruise liner or hydrofoil, to party or to get away from it all, Fodor’s Greek Islands 1st Edition is the new, indispensable guide for living your dream.

·“Experience the Greek Islands” chapter highlights the top attractions, the best beaches, practical itineraries, and tips for planning your trip

·At-a-Glance island finder helps travelers decide between the far-flung Dodecanese or the storybook Cyclades

·Reviews of every major cruise line and itinerary sailing the Greek islands

·Photo-rich, browsable design with in-depth, magazine-style features on Greek culture, food, and history

·Unique topographic, interactive maps of each island group

·Names of major cities, towns, and ports of call appear in English and in Greek

·Eight-page color insert

Customer Review :

Wonderful book!

This book is really well organized, makes planning a trip around the islands super easy. Made reservations at one of the recommended hotels, and although we haven't been on our trip yet am very excited. Great book and easy to read!

Rating :

Interesting and easy to understand

I have a number of Greek travel books, and this is the best one by far. Having a package that includes the Greek islands and Athens (where most foreign travelers go first before heading to the islands) is especially nice. There is so much information, the only real things that are left out are some of the smaller islands that aren't visited as much and, as another reviewer said, really in-depth maps. I doubt they could fit them all in one book and still be so comprehensive. The book is split up by region (Athens, Dodecanese, Cyclades, Sporades, etc.). At the beginning of each section there's the top five or so reasons to go to that destination, a small summery of its geography, a small map, and pictures. On the following page there are interesting facts (with Crete, for example, a small article about shopping there), how to make the most of your time, and more small articles which are different for each island that range from discussing quality of lodgings, to an article about the foods of that region, and when to go. The chapter then splits up by island (or section for larger islands) and each of these is split up by city (with approximate location ie "80 km (50 Mi) east of Heraklion". These sections describe the various sights and resturants (each with its own description). Many include phone numbers, websites, and times/months when they're closed. It does the same with hotels, specially listing if a hotel has wi-fi or a refridgerator. These also have price ranges included. Each island has its own section on shopping and nightlife/arts. Then it concludes with explanations of various means of travel in that group of islands: air, moped, car, ferry. It follows this with a list of contacts for things like emergencies, media there, tour options, etc. There's also a 29 page section on various cruises. What I found most impressive with this book was that it had a somewhat laid-back, even humorous, tone (no snobby I-know-everything-about-travel style) and it treated Greece with dignity. Some travel books seem to think of the islands as some vacation to be conquered, a flurry of detached museum visits and getting drunk at a disco, without the enjoyable aspects of a vacation that engages the culture of the people, the food, and the landscape to make it more enriching. And yet the book is not boring, and it highlights modern sights as well as ancient. The (multiple) writers talk in depth about the various places as if they have been there not too long ago and with cautions against mistakes travelers can make, but without seeming to talk down to you. In fact the book is, at times, actually funny. It is filled with fun facts (and not just the same old ones about Greek gods or archeaology) and many articles, especially in the introduction, discussing things like the problem of fires in Greece, smoking, customs of the people, modern art, public displays of affection, being part of the European Union, siestas, temperature, and a four page article about Greek food to name a few. At the end of the book there's a 37 page section of important information including mail, tipping, customs/duties, electricity, calling outside and inside of Greece, tranportation, tours, booking your trip with a travel agent vs. internet. (There's also a very small section of basic Greek phrases and, of course, an index). All around this book has a huge amount of well-organized information and is interesting, too.

Rating :

Ok...

The book is easy to read and well organized. The Athens section looks pretty good. However, it didn't feel like there was enough info for Santorini & Naxos, which are the only ones I read. There were no detailed maps of the island cities & only a few things to see & few places to eat/sleep.

Rating :

1. ISBN13: 9780767922012
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Review :

This book is LOL funny!!!

We all have a different sense of humor and if you don't like this book you just don't "get" the author. I would highly recommend it as it represents the funny side of everything that I experienced in China myself. However, if I had not been to China and I read this book I probably would not go - EVER!!! This book is not meant to be a destination guide or an intellectual account it is supposed to be a hillarious, fun, entertaining easy read and that is what is is. I would not have missed my travels in China and I would not have missed this book, it was so funny I thought I would do myself an injury, but you kinda had to "be there" if you know what I mean?

Rating :

This is soooo true!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found the information true to my experiences. I especially LOVED chapters 15 to 20! This is the section on Lijiang in Yunnan province; Tibet; Lanzhou; and Dunhuang. These are the parts of China I cherish. Yunnan and Tibet are so wonderful and so unique, I could easily go again. Lanzhou ("the most polluted city in the world") is the location of a University where my husband's college had an exchange program. During a visit to Lanzhou we flew to Dunhuang and then drove back 500 miles through the Gobi Desert to Lanzhou. Every description brought back a flood of memories, lots of smiles and outright laughter. I too "sand surfed" down the sand dunes in Dunhuang. It was a trip of a life time.

The Han ("Chinese" Chinese) are rapidly destroying the interesting parts of their country. Pushing out the uniqueness - polluting everything. It reminds me of the first U.S. immigrant citizen's response to the Native American. It was decades before Native American culture was valued, and even longer before the uniqueness of the individual tribes was recognized. I wish the Hans would learn from our errors and begin valuing the minorities (tribes) in China. Tibet is so special, so unique, and it is heart wrenching to see it destroyed by the Hans, and make no mistake, they are destroying it.

I highly recommend this book at anyone who is interested in China. If you have been there, it is an absolute MUST READ. You will recapture your initial impression, and it will bring back memories.

Jonieta

Rating :

Enjoyable read, despite narrator's western bias

The things about China Troost mentions are true according to him and contain a degree of accuracy about China. However they are isolated incidents that he witnesses as an outsider of the culture and language. He presents the entire thing in an exaggerated voice and tone while maintaining the perspective of someone who knows very little about China outside of his firsthand accounts. Troost's goal in writing it is to present the book from the perspective that it may as well be a different planet so he makes few attempts the entire book to reconcile the differences he notices or find out more about them or the Chinese reasoning behind them. While I enjoyed reading it since I have lived in China myself, make no mistake; Troost presents the book from a perspective that will sell once published in the western world. You will enjoy the book much more if you take the events of the book with a grain of salt and think about China with a slightly more open mind than he (or at least his narrative voice) does.

Rating :

What a snob of a white man

The western view of Troost is so smug, so superior, so short-sighted, so lacking in compassion or heart.... I started reading it and after about 100 pages, I was so insulted I had to put it down. Why do Chinese eat "weird" stuff? THEY DIDN"T HAVE MUCH ELSE TO EAT!!!! BTW, the Swiss eat horse, the midwesterners eat cheese... "take the milk of a cow, compress it with lots of the oil into blocks, add bacteria, let it age until it stinks, then slice it and eat it." And as for pollution: Troost says "How can the Chinese stand it? Why don't they do something?" Like what? How do people in LA stand it? How can the "the people" DO something about it? They can barely get enough to eat and heat their bodies....

So...a smarmingly self-congratulatory, so-superior book. I found it distasteful.

Rating :

not worth the time reading it, not worth the money buying it

Initially, I found this book funny. However, after I read it through, I found it utterly biased and deceptive. I just came back from a China tour. Yes, there are many problems (in particular, pollution) there. But I found that the people in China to be extremely hard working and decent human beings. Their hard work is actually supporting the biggest Bonsai scheme of all times - US DOLLAR. They deserve some respects.

There are far better ways to spend your time and hard-earned cash than on this Chinese-bashing piece of crap. How about some good Chinese food in Chinatown?


Rating :

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