Rating: 
Summary: Excellent knowledge base, informative and captivating
Review: Simon Winchester displays a wealth of knowledge about the Yangtzee. He has clearly done his homework and clearly explains why the Yangtzee holds the importance that it does to the Chinese. His narrative covers all aspects of the region, the geological history, economic history and the crucial political aspects. He always puts the historical importance of these factors into the modern context and the net result is a truly interesting, yet richly informative read. It was difficult to put down. This is not a book for the lazy mind however as the imagery that the author conjures up is provocative and requires a good deal of interaction from the reader.
Rating: 
Summary: A well written but inaccurate trip up the Yangtze.
Review: Simon Winchester fascinates the reader with his storytelling ability. As he takes us along on his journey up the Yangtze, the reader feels compelled to read chapter after chapter in a shared journey to the source of the river. Unfortunately Mr. Winchester story is grim and unpleasant - from his hatred of the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV tower and the Nanking occupation by the Japanese to his altitude sickness in Tibet. He also mentions on more than one occasion seeing corpses in the water. In September 1999 while traveling 1649 miles up the river I saw paper cups, plastic bottles, and other litter but no bodies of any kind - animal or human. Fortunately, I traveled the Yangtze before reading Mr. Winchester's book. I may not have gone if I'd read it first. If that happened, I'd have missed a wonderful adventure filled with beautiful scenes and friendly people.
Rating: 
Summary: Simon Winchester has done the Yangtze proud
Review: Simon Winchester is one hot literary property these days. In the past several years he has produced such splendid nonfiction books as THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN, THE MAP THAT CHANGED THE WORLD and, most recently, KRAKATOA. Now the Picador branch of Henry Holt has issued a paperback reprint of Winchester's riveting 1996 paean to the majesty, history and folklore of the Yangtze River, THE RIVER AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD. It is still a superb read.Winchester determined to travel the length of the 3,964-mile river (third longest in the world) from Shanghai, where it empties into the Yellow Sea, back to its source in the remote and forbidding mountain fastnesses of Tibet. Being a curious and observant fellow, Winchester stopped at cities large and small along the way to sample atmosphere, probe local history and meet interesting people. He darted off-course now and then, sometimes of necessity, at other times simply because there was something nearby that piqued his interest. As traveling companion he enlisted a resourceful and intelligent Chinese woman whom he disguises (for fear of official retribution against her) under the name of Lily. She plays a hardheaded and outspoken Sancho Panza to his Don Quixote, and brings a revealing personal dimension of her own to Winchester's story. In addition to being a fine writer, Winchester is a born reporter. Nothing seems to escape his notice. He has done his historical and literary homework thoroughly and is not shy about intruding his own strongly held opinions into his narrative. Most of those opinions oscillate between nostalgia for the rich pageant of China's past as reflected along the river and utter disdain verging on disgust for what has become of the country under its Communist rulers. As in most good travel writing --- indeed, like the Yangtze itself --- the "tributary" digressions in this book are fully as interesting as its main course. We learn the exact process for making Chinese brown rice vinegar and the history of tea as a major Chinese product. We learn the stories of intrepid but largely unknown westerners with names like Cornell Plant and Joseph Rock, who were early explorers of the river. We are fed many fanciful legends from Chinese mythology and a number of facts --- often depressing but always interesting --- from Chinese history. The famous Three Gorges dam project is examined in detail and the area itself described fully. Winchester considers the whole monster project a defilement of one of China's most beautiful areas, a venture meant more to glorify the government that planned it than to help the people who will be affected by it. Many of those people, he feels, will simply be made miserable. Chinese national pride, in fact, is a major theme that runs through the book. From the dawn of its history, China has regarded foreigners with suspicion and mistrust. They are "foreign devils" and "barbarians," and as a matter of pride they have to pay more for just about everything than do the native Chinese. Winchester sent me scurrying to my unabridged dictionary a score or more of times to look up unfamiliar terms that seem routine to him. A few of them --- nunataks, portolanos, ayurvedic --- were nowhere to be found, but I did learn something about haars, skerry, compradors, corvees and kentledge, among others. My only tiny complaint about this reprint is that the maps, so sorely needed as the upriver journey continues, are inadequate. The only addition to the book's 1996 text is a four-page afterword in which Winchester speculates about the future of the great Chinese cities. Beijing will continue to be the country's capital, its Washington D.C., he says. Shanghai, sitting grandly at the mouth of the Yangtze, will be its New York City --- and poor Hong Kong down in the south of the country, will be merely its New Orleans. Unless there is some sort of unimaginable government upheaval in China, this fine book is likely to remain a classic account for many years to come. For a "foreign devil," Simon Winchester has done the Yangtze proud. --- Reviewed by Robert Finn
Rating: 
Summary: I'm actually quite annoyed by this book...
Review: The back cover of the book tells of Simon Winchester's reverse-the-Yangtze boat travel from Shanghai back to its origin up in the western mountains. That sounds quite appealing to me as I have never traveled through the Three Gorges (not to mention that upon completion of the great dam near Xilin Gorge the river will raise at feet 400 feet and inundate thousands of pagodas). I have decided that the book was an instant disappointment after finished reading the first few chapters. Two things about this book that REALLY bother me: 1)Winchester, though researched all these interesting (historical) stories, does not say much about lives along the Yangtze River. He would spend pages and pages talking and reflecting on his memories as he sails through the river sceneries. You will ask: what about the Chinese people living along the river? How are their lives? What about his interactions with the locals? He omits all these as if they simply don't exist or he is just sailing along some remote uninhabited towns. 2)Over and over again Winchester implies his superiority (or superiority of the Western culture) over the Chinese. What on earth is this all about? But thanks to this book so I know what a REALLY good travel narrative/memoir is all about. Peter Hessler's "River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze River" is a completely opposite account to Winchester's in terms of both contents and attitude. Peter interacted and spent time to get to know the locals without judgmentally commenting on their disparaging lifestyles. I simply don't like and don't agree with this book. Neither do I like the writing style nor the stories it has to offer. The narrative is repetitious and cliched. Not recommended. 2.2 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Easily the best travel book about China
Review: The English must have a special talent for combining the personal with the universal, the anecdotal with the historical, and the entertaining with the learned. Following the Yangtze river upstream, Simon Winchester tells the story of modern China from the bustling, modern city of Shanghai near the mouth of the river to the highlands of the Himalayas where the Yangtze originates and where China has not changed much in 5,000 years. Embedded in the story of his journey is the history of China since the late 18th century: the arrival of the European powers, the Opium Wars, the Japanese invasion, the Civil War, and the years of Communist rule which culminated in the construction of a new Great Wall - the Three Gorges Dam that will irrevocably change the Yangtze river. Winchester observes, describes, and rarely comments. He has an eye for the right details and the odd anecdote, and he is so well-read that he never loses the big picture. He loves the subject of his narration, and his enthusiasm is palpable on every page - especially when he tells the stories of the English sailors who explored the Yangtze River. His non-judgmental, open-minded way of writing makes the book a pleasure to read. For people initiated to the ways of China there are many moments of recognition. Take the seemingly bizarre behavior of some village officials, for example, who claim they cannot show Winchester an ingenious invention on which they have spent their time because the key to the room where it is kept is lost. Of course, there is no invention at all, they have been idly wasting their time, drinking tea and smoking cigarettes in their offices but what a loss of face it would be to admit it! Among travel books about China, "The River at the Center of the World" has no equal. It is simply the best, and most entertaining, introduction to China at the beginning of the 21st century.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Dip Into Chinese History
Review: The subtitle "A Journey up the Yangtze, and Back in Chinese Time" more or less explains this combination travelogue/history. Winchester's aim is to travel the length of the Yangtze heading upriver. In doing so, he does a superb job of explaining the importance of the Yangtze River in Chinese history by blending in all manner of history from Western gunboat diplomacy to Mao's Long March to the Rape of Nanjing to the current Three Gorges Dam project. In fact, the book isn't bad as a way to sort of dip into Chinese history for the uninitiated. The travelogue aspect is also well handled, as Winchester travels with a Chinese woman translator/problem-solver. Modern China doesn't come across very well in his description, as he encounters the usual corruption, but also amazing episodes of lethargy and apathy from the locals. At times, the technical hydrology/geology stuff gets tiresome, but overall, it's an excellent read--especially for prospective travelers to area.
Rating:
Summary: A trip back in time
Review: This book is remarkable. It starts in the 20th century and goes back in time, much as the Yangtze flows. It was a spell binder, in fact, It held my attention throughout the entire book. I plan on doing a Yangtze River Cruise in October and found this book a requisite prequel. Great Read
Rating:
Summary: Cruising the Yangtze
Review: This is an excellent book for anyone planning a cruise on the Yangtze. It reads like a novel. I loved it because it describes the cities and the river, but also the history and the people. Winchester must be incredibly brave (or stupid) because he traveled the Yangtze from China into Tibet with one female guide. He also has a very good chapter on the Three Gorges Dam and why it should not be built. This book is a good read for anyone interested in history, travel, adventure or China.
Rating:
Summary: Good concept, flawed execution
Review: Winchester's idea to travel "backwards" through time by following the Yangtze to its origin could have led to a very compelling tale. Unfortunately, Winchester made very little effort to set his journey apart from the way most Western tourists travel. Soft-seat trains and boats maintain a significant separation between the author and his subjects. Consequently, aside from some well-researched historical stories, there isn't much insight into the Yangtze region or its people. Winchester's condescending tone also reinforces the outsider's perspective of the book. The further one gets into the book, the more it becomes obvious Winchester views Western culture as inherently superior to Chinese culture. This is a major flaw in the book because it prevents Winchester from observing and describing what is going on around him effectively, and perhaps more importantly, from being influenced and changed by his travels. Overall, the book has a few interesting passages but the author's cultural biases reduce most of it to what is essentially a tourist's impressions of a vacation. Two books that touch on the Yangtze region with much greater insight are Red Dust (Ma Jian) and River Town (Peter Hessler). I recommend reading either book before picking up Winchester's book.
Rating:
Summary: Good concept, flawed execution
Review: Winchester's idea to travel "backwards" through time by following the Yangtze to its origin could have led to a very compelling tale. Unfortunately, Winchester made very little effort to set his journey apart from the way most Western tourists travel. Soft-seat trains and boats maintain a significant separation between the author and his subjects. Consequently, aside from some well-researched historical stories, there isn't much insight into the Yangtze region or its people. Winchester's condescending tone also reinforces the outsider's perspective of the book. The further one gets into the book, the more it becomes obvious Winchester views Western culture as inherently superior to Chinese culture. This is a major flaw in the book because it prevents Winchester from observing and describing what is going on around him effectively, and perhaps more importantly, from being influenced and changed by his travels. Overall, the book has a few interesting passages but the author's cultural biases reduce most of it to what is essentially a tourist's impressions of a vacation. Two books that touch on the Yangtze region with much greater insight are Red Dust (Ma Jian) and River Town (Peter Hessler). I recommend reading either book before picking up Winchester's book.
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