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Rating:  Summary: Well-written! Review: Da Chen's "Sounds of the River" is a sequel to his first autobiography "Colors of the Mountain," which deals with his university days studying English at Beijing. "Sounds of the River" picked up where "Colors" ended. Chen wrote about the difficulties that he faced as a country boy travelling to a big city like Beijing and how he had trouble adjusted to living among the city folks. Once in Beijing, Chen realized that he needed to start from zero as he had difficulties comprehending and speaking English. Since he did not come from either a political background or a city, he was constantly looked down by some of his teachers and fellow classmates. However, Chen managed to survive as he studied hard and was determined to succeed. Later, Chen realized that he wanted to leave Red China and pursued his "American dream." (Not going to give it away here on how he had finally left China)I really enjoy his second book. I was very mesmerized by "Colors of the Mountain" and wanted to know what happened next. I enjoy his quirky observations of life on campus and the people that he encountered such as - the department's dean who needed to be bribed with oysters and lycees, his roommate Bo who was into high fashion, as I find them colorful and interesting. "Sounds of the River" is well-written as Chen is able to express his thoughts vividly to his readers. There are many funny moments and there are times that you can't help but relate to his ordeals. Some readers might also appreciate his poetic expressions. I think readers who are interested in this book should definitely start with his first, as it is crucial to know his family background, and experience to fully appreciate "Sounds of the River."
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