John Pomfret's Chinese Lessons -- LOVED IT!
I just finished John Pomfret's recently published book, Chinese Lessons: Five Classmates and the Story of a New China. Though it is going to sound like a newspaper movie ad, I cannot resist quoting the tag lines from the five people who reviewed this book (so far) for Amazon, all of whom gave it five stars:
1. "Masterful account of modern China"
2. "Superb"
3. "A book you can't put down"
4. "An exceptional book, exceptionally written"
5. "Extraordinary"
6. "I laughed, I cried"
Okay, so I made up the last one.
The book beautifully (and usually depressingly) describes how China's past so heavily influences its present. I felt I knew everyone in the book because they were composites of the real life Chinese with whom I deal in my work. It was a joy to read and it increased my understanding of China.
For those interested in learning more about Chinese Lessons, I recommend the following:
1. Karl Taro Greenfeld in the Washington Post
3. Imagethief
4. Danwei (contains an interesting interview with the author)
5. Amelia Newcomb in the Christian Science Monitor
6. Orville Schell in the New York Times
7. Jinran (in Chinese)
Read it.
http://www.chinalawblog.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-t.cgi/1374
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Comments
It is often difficult to know what to read in order to gain a true sense of an other culture.
Thank you bringing to light Chinese Lessons.
And thank your for extending the conversation about the people and nation of China via your blog.
Posted by: Michael Wagner | August 31, 2006 7:19 PM
Mr. Wagner --
Thanks for checking in. I love reading books on other cultures. Unfortunately, a large number of the books that have the goal of elucidating another culture are little more than recitations of stereotypes and generalities.
Chinese Lessons actually succeeds at this and that is why I am so enthusiastic about it. It helps understand Chinese culture because it is written by an excellent observer and writer about people he knows. By writing about those he knows, writes about China.
BTW, I really like your blog and I really like your tagline on how a "Brand Owner Is...
someone who refuses to tell anyone's story but their own."
Posted by: China Law Blog | September 1, 2006 12:01 AM
Among the journos I knew in Beijing, everyone referred to John Pomfret as the master. His writing is just that good. And if I remember correctly, he was a pretty good basketball player, too.
I saw the book in a bookstore on Thursday and can't wait to read it.
Posted by: Ben | September 2, 2006 8:36 AM
Ben -- Thanks for checking in.
I will have thebook here for your return.
Posted by: China Law Blog | September 2, 2006 10:13 AM
Just finished the book, and I cannot recommend it enough.
It deals with a broken society and was extremely educational in both the recent past of china as well as its future.
Are there good forums/blogs where this book is being discussed?
Posted by: Woo Jae | October 6, 2006 11:13 AM
Woo Jae --
Thanks for checking in. I am not aware of any such forums and as for blogs, I think I have already linked to the best posts here and in my more recent post regarding Mr. Pomfret's speaking engagament.
Posted by: China Law Blog | October 6, 2006 11:20 AM