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Summary: Hessler knows China
Review: While this book is excellent for people unfamiliar with China, it is also highly recommended for those with a more in depth knowledge. I myself have spent time in Taiwan and China and was often struck by how accurate Hessler's observations were.
The section on Chinese photo albums and the rather bizarre photo culture there was hilarious, as was the section on the English names Chinese people take. I also identified with Hessler's alternate personality, his self in Chinese, Ho Wei. Anyone who studies Chinese has this other personality...kind of dumb, illiterate, and not at all erudite or funny. This book will make you laugh out loud, but it also has a serious side, discussing issues such as the sky-high rates of suicide among women in China, the educational atmosphere in a system tightly controlled by the CCP, and the death of Deng Xiaoping.
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Summary: River Town
Review: This book is great for anyone who enjoys travel and/ or learning about new cultures. The author, Peter Hessler, tells about his Peace Corps experience in Fuling, a traditional remote city in communist China. Hessler and another teacher are the first foreigners the town has seen in over 50 years. They teach English and literature at the local college. Together they must learn to adapt to the dramatic changes in cultural, social and political life if they are to make friends. They struggle to learn Chinese and adjust to the communist viewpoints of their students. Nothing could have prepared them for this journey. River Town will open your eyes to the mysterious country and culture of China.
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Summary: Good book
Review: Peter and Adam are two Americans, who were sent by the Peace Corps to come and teach in the college in Fuling, China. Fuling was a small town surrounded by mountains. Both the Wu and Yangtze River was near the town of Fuling. Fuling is also near the town of Chongqing where Peter and Adam first arrived in Fuling. Peter and Adam stayed in Fuling for two years teaching English and English Literature. It took both of the people a long time to adapt to how the people in Fuling lived like. Peter and Adam both meant a lot of people. They both enjoyed how the Chinese people treated them with respect. Besides staying in Fuling, the both of them traveled in other places in China just to see how it is like. The Chinese people also like, dislike Mao Zedong, who is mentioned a lot by people and as discussions. Peter caught his class a lot of things such as English Literature and the American politics, which the Chinese likes to compare it with there culture or politics.
This book is compiling and insightful. I shows two American men's thrive to be accepted and show how they transition their lives to fit their surroundings.
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Summary: River Town Is Simply Amazing
Review: I picked up this book when I made a five-week trek to China, and I must say it kept me company on many a lonely train ride or hotel night in Beijing. It is superbly well written and conveys the authors journey from knowing absolutely no Chinese to becoming a 'zhonguo tong'(China Hand).In the process, Hessler inundates us with interesting stories of China and a great look at the people of 'The River Town'. I highly recommend this book.
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Summary: One Man's Journey
Review: The strongest selling point of Hessler's "River Town" is that it's not written by a lofty "China Watcher." Hessler does an excellent job of painting an honest and compelling picture of everyday life in China. The integrity of his painting is exagerated by his common-man's spin on life and his experience. This book is not a deep analysis of Chinese culture, but a great account of one man's trip. This is not a book for a political scientist, but a great read for someone interested in traveling to the PRC.
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Summary: Well written, readable, personable and genuine
Review: Without argument, the most casual observer of China over the past thirty years would have to acknowledge that this country has been marked by very significant change. Having a passion for history, and a keen interest in the history of China, I tend to evaluate books based on their value as history. Every time I contemplate the hours of time that will be consumed if I set about to read a given book, I ask, "How will this book enhance my understanding of the history of modern China?" Well, this book is not an exploration of the past, it is a simple observation of a single moment in time by one who lived through it. As history, this book is not strong. But as sociology, it is exceptional. Current sociology is future history, so in that sense, this book is very useful for the purposes I have mentioned. So I read it. Now I must point out that China is a very diverse society. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that China is really a collection of societies. This book is not, by any means, a general statement about life in China. It is the story of life in one small community. But that's OK, because it never pretends to be anything else. Really, this book is a testimony to the value of paying attention. I am sure that many folks living and working in situations similar to Peter Hessler's would have their own stories to tell. But so often we are fooled by the seeming ordinariness of our own mundane existence. So we live our lives endlessly, day by day without writing the story. Listen to me: If your life isn't worth writing a book about, you're doing something wrong. Change. Move. Do something. But become someone or be in the process of becoming someone that decent folks would really enjoy reading about some day. My highest commendation to Peter Hessler for this more than anything else. The basic plot of the story is quite simple: A graduate student joins the Peace Corps, and teaches for two years in a Chinese university. What is especially useful about this book depends, I suppose, on your particular frame of reference, and on your needs, but for me, the book was most interesting as a very personal and honest description of how one person responded to the culture shock inherent in the cultural transition described. My parents were missionaries in northern Japan; that is where I grew up. For me, the most profound culture shock was when I came to America at the age of 13. I was, therefore, quite interested to see how this idealistic graduate student would respond to his own cultural adjustment. At times, he seems almost to have a "chip on his shoulder," but much of this is because of his simple honesty about how he is feeling at the particular moment. And I can hardly blame him for taking the pellet gun away from the kid who shot him in cold blood. Hessler talks very openly about feelings most of us would rather not admit we have at moments like that. By far the most appealing part of this book for me, however, was the insight that it gave me into the nature of rural teacher training in China. Years ago I taught in a country school in North Dakota. I traveled to Yunnan Province some time ago, and participated in a benefit project where we donated some computers to a country school. I have a special interest in rural education, and the importance of giving kids in that kind of setting the same quality education that would be available to them if they lived a bit closer to the city. And the simple straightforwardness of the country young people who are the students in this University is so refreshing to anyone who has been frustrated with the way the American obsession with information has stuffed the minds of so many young people with all kinds of things they don't need to be worrying about so early in their lives. The sophisticated cynicism this too often causes is so wonderfully absent from the thinking of Peter Hessler's students. I learned quite a bit from this book. Reading it was time well spent. I think even for those who do not have a particular interest in China, this book would be very attractive. But for those who are contemplating a life in China, it is definitely required reading. If you like people, you will like this book.
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Summary: If you plan to teach in China read this book!!
Review: I read this book while teaching ESL in Korea and found it most enjoyable. The similarities between the author's experiences in China and my own in South Korea were plentiful. There is a growing demand for ESL teachers in China these days and for those who want to truly read what the experience will be like(living in a country where very few speak your own language and think the way you do)then READ THIS BOOK! Humorous, insightful, and educational..all in all, a good buy.
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Summary: delightful
Review: I had to read this book for a Chinese Law class at UCBerkeley. This is one of my favorit books and I always looked forward to reading it. This book incorporates Chinese society, history, culture, and politics in a way that was entertaining and easy to read. Hessler's personal expriences at times are hilarious and actually made me laugh out loud. You learn ALOT about China in a balanced viewpoint.Great book!!! I HIGHLY recommend this book.
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Summary: Thoughtful account of an American's life in China
Review: In his concluding remarks of River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze, Peter Hessler points us to the nub of his experience in China: "I had never had any idealistic illusions about my Peace Corps 'service' in China; I wasn't there to save anybody or leave an indelible mark on the town. If anything, I was glad that during my two years in Fuling I hadn't built anything, or organized anything, or made any great changes to the place. I had been a teacher, and in my spare time I had tried to learn as much as possible about the city and its people. That was the extent of my work, and I was comfortable with those roles and I recognized their limitations." In fall 1996, Peter Hessler, at the age of 26, took a Peace Corps assignment that relocated him to a small town in the Sichuan province of China. Many natives let alone a young American who made his inaugural entrance into the country did not know and hear of Fuling. It's a former coal-mining town that is bounded by the Yangtze and the Wu. Chongqing and the Three Gorges are just hours away by boats. The book chronicles, in a rather casual but detailed way, Peter's teaching experience at the Fuling Education College and his life and anecdotes in town. Interwoven into Peter's diary are descriptions of local landmarks and customs. This book is by far the most passionate and yet accurate and objective account written any foreigners. Peter really does possess a keen sense of his surroundings. Throughout his crisp, interesting prose and attention to details, the Chinese 'laobaixing' (common people) become alive as if we are actually interacting with them. I am in awe of how far Peter has gone in making meticulous observations of the Chinese culture and its people. A lot of what he mentions in this book is often overlooked by foreigners. To cite some examples: 1)Cultural shock: Wherever Peter goes in town, he often gathers a crowd looking dagger at him, saying 'hello', calling name and following him. To his surprises later on, he realizes the town has never had a foreign visitor for at least 50 years. It is a mixed bag of xenophobia and curiosity for foreigners. No soon than Peter arrived in town than he realized that foreigners are usually treated differently in daily necessities and accommodation. Certain inns were forbidden to accommodate foreigners due to the untidiness. Foreigners often had to pay a higher fare for the steamboats. 2)Teaching style: Learning Chinese was excruciatingly painful for Peter (and for many Americans I'm sure). The Mandarin comes with 4 intonations and the thousands of characters have complicated strokes and dots. Suffice it to say that the slightest mispronunciation or missing a stroke in writing will reap a harsh admonishment from Peter's native Chinese teacher. 'Budui' is the devil word meaning 'wrong'. As Peter has pointed out, the Chinese teaching style is significantly different from the western methods. If a student is wrong, she needed to be corrected (or rebuked) immediately without any quibbling or softening. It is the very strict standard that motivates Peter to determinedly show his teacher he is 'dui' (right). His bitter encounter with the Chinese way enables him to finally relate to his Chinese-American peers, who go to school and become accustomed to the American system of gentle correction. But the Chinese parents expect more-unless you get straight A's, you haven't achieved anything yet! Hey, I can relate to this Peter! 3)Hong Kong handover: Little did I know about how the mainland Chinese made such a big deal about the turn-of-the-century event in 1997 until I read Peter's account. His students have been drilled on the shamefulness of history, of how the Britain defeated the Chinese in Opium War, of how China was coerced to cease the fragrant city for 150 years. I knew about how the Chinese (especially the Party leaders) awaited the moment when the five-star red flag ascend to full staff in Hong Kong but shamefulness? The magnitude of the colony's return to motherland simply overwhelmed Peter (and myself): the handover lapel pin, the handover umbrella, and the handover rubber flip-flops! 4)Chinese collectivism: This is something that not only amazes but also puzzles me and Peter has nailed it to the root. The Chinese people are often nonchalant, indifferent, and apathetic to politics, crisis or crimes. Well, according to Peter, 'as long as a pickpocket [or whatever] did not affect you personally, or affect somebody in your family, it was not your business.' So this is the usual Chinese mind-my-own-business attitude. This attitude is so implanted inveterately into the Chinese due to decades of isolation (from media and geography) and political control. I think Peter really brings it home. The consequence is a strictly standardized education system, common beliefs among the people, common reactions toward political issues, and an unchallenging submission to authority. River Town is indeed one of the best books I've ever read for years. Peter is not only an on-looking 'waiguoren' (foreigner) but he has found his identity among the Chinese. He befriended the owner of the restaurant and his family. He established daily and weekly routines which include newspaper reading at the teahouse and chatting with the teahouse 'xiaojie' (girls), hiking up to the mountaintop, visiting the vendors at a local park, and hanging out with his students after class. During the summer vacation, he took an excursion to the Great Wall in Shanxi and Urmuqi in Xinjiang. The prose is vivid, crisp, and gripping. I really appreciate how he approaches the people and culture with an honesty-to have gone so far as some of the moments of candor become unpleasant. This is a page-turner, the kind of book that you don't want to end so soon. 5.0 stars.
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Summary: Can I give six stars? (:
Review: After reading this book, I felt very proud that the Peace Corps had individuals like Peter and Adam. I also came to China to teach English but it was in 1979. Conditions were very poor and the influence of the Cultural Revolution could still be seen and felt. The author makes some very insightful analysis on Chinese society but he gives a background and perspective that helps the reader understand the conditions and difficulties the Chinese people had to face. Many of the observations that Peter made I observed myself. I could only shake my head in amazement as I read of his experiences. As an American black living in China, I also had some very, very interesting experiences. However, the longer one lives among the Chinese, one cannot ignore their talent, creativity, and their humanity. Peter Hessler wrote a beautiful book. My only question is how could someone only give this book three stars? brad polk
beijing, china
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