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Summary: An excellent, apolitical piece
Review: This is a brilliant book. This young man came to China with an open mind and is fundamentally different from much of the young expatriate population here, both in terms of his intellingence and his goals in coming. (Typical personalities: "I'm a Loser Back at Home, but when I come to China I'm a Big Man on Mulberry Street." Another: "I'm Young and Bored and Trying to Convince Myself That There is a Communist Revolution Somewhere.") Some books that have been written have also tried specifically to address the political issues of this vast country. It is more interesting to someone who is not a professional protestor/ academic to see what happens in practice when some of the Romanticized Sacred Cows of Academics are implemented in Real Life (see: Communism, Authoritarianism, Big Government). This is also not taken from the perspective of people that are constantly whining about Human Rights. In my opinion, the author does a good job of not reinterpreting China in terms of some of these Sacred Cows, be they of whoever. The prose is clear, elegant and not overwrought with detail. But the reading is not overly light, either. It's just the things that any person would think about if they came here to teach. Or that any person might want to know if they wanted a perspective of China independent of political slants of any type.
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Summary: If you enjoyed this book, read John Dalton's "Heaven Lake"
Review: "River Town" and "Heaven Lake" are two of my all time favorite books about China. Both are beautifully written, thoughtful, poignant, honest and nonjudgmental.
For those of you who have loved this book, I highly recommend "Heaven Lake".
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Summary: Warm, insightful, personal and engaging
Review: My son who lives as a foreigner in China directed me to read the book, and I found it wonderful.
Not only does it provide a dynamic insight into the country's present thinking (through Hessler's students' essays), but it allows us to watch his efforts to move gently and gracefully through his new local society, with varying success.
More than just enlightening, it's wonderfully entertaining, as we share the bittersweet adventure of joining a culture that's so hard to decode. I read the book before a trip to Beijing, and thought about it every day I was there, and often since.
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Summary: Paints a good picture of modern China
Review: I read several books on the topic of China last year and this book by far gave me the best understanding of what life was like in the remote cities of China at the present time. The books covers lots of different aspects of everyday life. Peter Hessler does a good job of mixing in some humor from his own experiences there. It is not a book that is easy to read cover to cover in a few days but I kept at it and was glad I did. I was only dissapointed that my travels did not lead me to this region of China. River Town made me want to experience Fuling for myself.
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Summary: River Metropolis
Review: This is a very personable book and I found it very interesting and helpful in becoming acquainted with modern day Chinese. Fuling, the "small river town" of this book is in fact a very large and modern city. Cruising up the Yangtze River looking for the little river town, I was so disappointed to find a city of gleaming skyscrapers. But then, a lot of water has flowed down the Yangtze since Hessler wrote this book.
It's a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: Needlessly repetitive
Review: This was a good book which could have been better given the compelling subject matter and the author's front-row seat. He could have used a better editor. The unabridged audio book was read by Scott Brick who helped me get through the author's meanderings.
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Summary: A must read before visiting China
Review: If going to China or trying to better understand China (if that is possible) this is a must read book. Informative, well written and entertaining all in one.
Rating:
Summary: Well-written, marvelous, provocative.
Review: Peter Hessler spent two years working as a Peace Corps volunteer while teaching literature in the remote Sichuan province in southern China in the late 1990's. Being one the first Peace Corps volunteers in China and possessing an intense curiosity of his new surroundings has resulted in this superb travel memoir that provides the reader with an intimate glimpse into the hill city of Fuling and the history and politics of larger China. During his stay he eyewitnessed the incredible events of the Chinese takeover of Hong Kong and the building of the Three Gorges Dam. Hessler reaches far beyond the average tourist by making a commitment to learn Mandarin and become acquainted with the locals and their individual stories. At the beginning of his stay he was easily started by the overt treatment of the locals of having seen a foreigner but was soon transcended more into Chinese society as his new knowledge and appreciation deepened. Throughout his narrative Hessler frequently ponders Chinese politics and their affect on his students in relation to the United States and as a result brings up numerous provoking issues and concerns. Highly recommended, especially for those interested in China or Peace Corp volunteers.
Rating:
Summary: Very good read
Review: This spring I found myself totally engrossed in a New Yorker article by Peter Hessler. I didn't look up throughout the commute - eyes glued to the page as I navigated myself from the train onto a bus and then up the stairs to the couch of my apartment. I immediately checked out his book. What a pleasure. Hessler writes fluidly and his observations are clean and palpable. He offers up a rich book filled with the appropriate amount of selfishness and gives us a wonderful insight into modern China. I look forward to reading more books and articles by him.
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