Above the Sea: Expat in China

Rating:
Summary: It is a wonderful book!
Review: By author's eyes,we can see a new face of China,a developing country.What author wrote is a real Shanghai.From this book,you can feel China's pulse.

Rating:
Summary: Good book, worth buying, but not what I expected
Review: Having just been assigned to an overseas position in Shanghai for three years (we depart December, 2004), I was excited to see this title and book description. The book is well written, funny at times, and has given me some good ideas for trips my family will take in China during our stay.

My overall rating for this book would be 3.5 out of 5.0, if I could give that, and my main issues are as follows:

* Throughout the book, the author has pretty much nothing good to say about the US. I have lived overseas before (four years in Poland), and know many Americans who have also had expat assignments in new countries. In the vast majority of cases, one appreciates many aspects of the new culture they live in, as well as appreciates other aspects of the American culture they left, and perhaps took for granted. The author comes across as disliking the US, which at times is a little annoying. It is not a political thing, but there must certainly be something he missed in America other than his friends.

* This may be more of a definitional thing, but when I use the word "expat" I think of a foreigner working a different country (usually a manager or 'expert'). As such, I was a little disappointed that "Expat in China" mentioned so very little about the author's work experience in China.

If someone were to be visiting to China for an extended period or moving there, I would still say buy this book. It was, for the most part, an enjoyable read, and I am sure the experiences my family will have visiting some of the places mentioned off the beaten path will more than cover the cost. Enjoy.