China Reads

This says something about "Children should excel greatly." Nothing to do with reading, but it's cute.

One of the things all foreigners do when they get here is start reading books about China, trying to figure this place out. Nonfiction books, not travel books. So I'm starting a list of books about China that I have read, am reading, will read, or others have read but I won't be bothering to read.




Lost on Planet China, J. Maarten Troost (2008)

Review: This was a great Christmas gift from Scott. The author travels through China, and writes about his experiences. It's incredibly frank, which means it's not at all positive. At the same time, I can't really argue with many of his conclusions. 

Recommend? I would not recommend this book to the following people:

those who don't plan on coming to China: It'll give you an overly negative impression. A great example is the author of a blog post I ran across, who's husband "has traveled extensively in China over the years on business;" she loathed the book, saying, "The China he describes would repulse me," and citing her husband's impressions of polite, modern China as proof. She/he has some good points, but they're not taking his gender and position into consideration- males, and especially business men, are treated with more respect and courtesy than the rest of us foreigners who aren't loaded with cash. I would also lay good money on a guess that, as a businessman, her husband's travels have only been in developed cities with significant foreigner populations and substantial money invested in the infrastructure. I would like to hear what he has to say after being in Yancheng, where not only do children frequently relieve themselves anywhere out in the open, but parents encourage them, and do so themselves. Gross.

those who will just be touring China: Just not worth your time.

conservatives/Republicans: He's pretty liberal, which I know because politics do get brought up. 

I would recommend the book to people who will be living or residing in non-developed, non-tourist area, non-international China for a period of time. First, it will give you a heads' up on weird cultural things that tour-guides overlook, like the fact that many Chinese people love a spectacle, and will, for example, stand around a traffic accident, discussing it, rather than being of assistance. Second, you'll have your own experiences to compare/contrast with Troost's observations, making for a better, more thoughtful read. And third, it'll just be more fun because you'll be here.