River Town: Two Years On The Yangtze (Reissue)

Description

412 pages, maps, notes This text presents an account of American aid worker Peter Hessler's time spent in the town of Fuling on the Yangtze River during the late 1990s, a time of great change for China. He observes the natural beauty of the area and shares the lives of the local people. He directs a production of "Hamlet" and runs in the town marathon. He also discusses how national and international events such as the construction of the Three Gorges Dam and the return of Hong Kong to the mainland affected the people of Fuling.

Promotion info

Winner of the 2001 Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize

Awards

Shortlisted for Thomas Cook Travel Book Award 2002.

Reviews

'Written with great clarity and affection, River Town should be read by anyone with any interest in finding the Chinese less inscrutable' -- The Times 'If you read only one book about China, let it be this' -- Jonathan Mirsky 'Hessler's account superbly captures the spirit of a country in which he is an invader, albeit welcomed, understanding rather than merely describing it and, with consummate skill and literary style, bringing it alive in all its mesmerising complexity' -- Martin Booth, Sunday Times 'To come across a Westerner patient enough and tolerant enough to try to understand the immense, exasperating and ultimately lovable entity that is China is always a pleasure. To encounter one who is as literate and sensitive as Peter Hessler is a joy. This tender, intelligent account of two years spent teaching deep in the country's heart is the work of a writer of rare talent: it deserves to become a classic' -- Simon Winchester 'Studded with insight and humility, written with unshowy elegance, River Town is about ways of seeing' -- Daily Telegraph

Author description

Peter Hessler is a graduate of Princeton and Oxford, and has written for The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Atlantic Monthly and other publications. Raised in the United States, he now lives in Beijing.

Table of contents

Part I: downstream; the city; Shakespeare with Chinese characteristics; raise the flag mountain; running; the white crane ridge; the dam; the Wu River; opium wars; white flat mountain; storm. Part II: summer; the priest; Chinese life; the restaurant owner; money; the teacher; Chinese new year; the land; spring again; the river; upstream.