Last week I had the pleasure of hosting Helen Wang in my adopted home of Suzhou. Helen is the author of The Chinese Dream, which has garnered a fair amount of critical acclaim. Helen is a native of Hangzhou, and has lived in America for 20 years. She calls the San Francisco Bay area home. She was visiting Suzhou to give a book talk about The Chinese Dream at the local Bookworm. She was gracious enough to accept my invitation to tour some of the more charming and traditional lanes of Suzhou, with its gardens, canals and tea houses. It was a great opportunity for two authors to sit down together to complain how much hard work goes into writing books, how the pay is lousy, and how rewarding the process ultimately is.

Though my book China Inside Out covers three critical issues China’s middle class – property, education, and health care – Helen’s book discusses Chinese people’s aspirations and how they went about realizing the good life for themselves. As was my feeling three years ago, when I first read the manuscript, I find the most engaging interviews (she interviewed more than a hundred Chinese people in researching the book) to be in the chapter on religion: the ultimate search for meaning beyond simply making money to show off to your neighbors.

During the intimate and animated book talk later that evening, one Western participant voiced his observation that the young Chinese he teaches are interested first, second and third in making money. He expressed his doubt about interest in a hereafter beyond gaining reassurance that an individual would be able to make more money. I chimed in with my observations that there seems to be a nascent movement among young white collar professionals toward charity donation and work.

Nevertheless, The Chinese Dream is a good read for American audiences that would like a translation of some of the Chinese motivations involved in the development of China’s middle class. For Western expats steeped in the day-today vagaries of the China’s middle class, the book requires a more nuanced sell.

Technorati Tags: book reviews

I had first met Rob Gifford, author of the popular book China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power, in 2009, at the Suzhou Bookworm Literary Festival. I was still fumbling through the first draft of my own book, China Inside Out, and greatly appreciated the travelogue approach and relaxed feeling the book took in framing the charms and challenges of modernizing China. Since I had rushed out of my home to get to the book talk on time, I had forgotten my copy of the book to have him autograph it. And when I introduced myself to him after the Talk, I stammered and nervously told him how much I enjoyed the work. He was warm and gracious and encouraging when I told him about my own book project.

I didn’t forget my copy of his book when we met for coffee in Shanghai recently, though – and I didn’t forget to take along a copy of my own book, too, to give him as a gift for the inspiration of his work in the book and on the radio. Rob has been a correspondent for America’s National Public Radio (NPR) for twelve years. The book China Road grew out of a series of travelogues he produced for NPR. Rob returned to Shanghai after having been re-posted to NPR’s London Bureau for only a couple years.

Now, he and his family are preparing to return to London, this time with his taking on the position of Editor of the China section of The Economist Magazine. He’s excited about the prospect of developing more in-depth analysis pieces about China, to try to escape the sound-bite culture in which media is expected to produce pieces that emphasize entertainment over critical thinking. We both agreed that after a few years in China there is so much long-timers begin to take for granted in the ever-changing society that becomes difficult to recognize as novel, troublesome to record and nearly impossible to piece together. Book writing for the both us seemed to provide a prpoer strucutre in which to fit higgledy-piggledy experiences and observations we have in China.

I passed him my well-used copy of China Road for his signature, while I signed my own book to pass to him. He was glad to see all the sticky-notes affixed to pages of his book, and ranged through some of the notes to see what I’d written. Books signed, coffees swilled. We promised a catch-up once he gets re-settled in London. Or whenever he next returns to Shanghai, which, I expect, won’t be too far long.

Modern Chinese history has fascinated me for decades. For China, I think modern history starts around the year 1800; while some may think it begins with the installation of the Manchus – northern barbarians – in 1644, to mark the start of the Qing dynasty. In the very least, the rise of the Qing coincides with the West’s and Japan’s escalating interest in taking China apart, piece by piece – wholesale, for some. In a sense, it’s no wonder Chinese are still so sensitive about any hint of “interference” in the country’s internal affairs.

The Suzhou Bookworm and Royal Asiatic Society of Suzhou host Robert Bickers on Thursday, May 19, 2011, 7pm as he talks about his book “The Scramble for China: Foreign Devils in the Qing Empire, 1832 – 1914“. His is a history book that should be required reading for any foreigner interested in China or who wants to do business in the Middle Kingdom. A professor posted at Bristol University, he  writes a riveting account of foreign adventures in China during one of the most dramatic episodes in modern history, detailing how the clash of arrogances between China and the West have shaped commercial and political relationships between the two ever since. I’ve enjoyed the book for the well-drawn, seemingly infinite variety of characters – Chinese and foreign – who helped shape the China we know today as well as the lens through which we view the country’s past.

The Suzhou Bookworm, Gunxiu Fang 77, Shi Quan Jie.  50 rmb for RAS members; 70 rmb for non-members. Includes one glass of wine or beer.

Where else but at the next gathering of the Royal Asiatic Society in Suzhou can you step into the hidden world of China’s imperial palace in its last days a hundred years ago to hear about the rampant corruption, grand conspiracies and uninhibited sexuality that closed the chapter on China’s last dynasty? Published now for the first time, the controversial memoir of Sinologist Sir Edmund Backhouse, Décadence Mandchoue, paints an alternately shocking and lyrical portrait of an empire in its final days. Derek Sandhaus, chief editor of Earnshaw Books, and author of Tales of Old Peking and Tales of Old Hong Kong, discusses his resuscitation of the original manuscripts of the book, which, if true, provide an account of the Empress Dowager and her inner circle that can only be described as intimate.

Sunday, April 24, 2011, 4pm. The Suzhou Bookworm, Gunxiu Fang 77, Shi Quan Jie. 50 rmb for members; 70 rmb for non-members. Includes one glass of wine or beer.

One of the interesting things about working with a publisher is it’s a lot like sitting with Forest Gump on a bench, him munching on chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get next. Well, the folks at John Wiley have been busy updating the graphic design for my book, China Inside Out: 10 Irreversible Trends Reshaping China and its Relationship with the World. And I do have to say, they’ve done a wonderful job with it. Fiona, the Editorial Executive in charge of getting the project out the door and onto book shelves around the world, came up with the original idea of a Jack-in-the-Box motif for the cover design. I embellished the idea a bit on a flight back to China from their Singapore office, adding objects that represented each of the ten trends about which I wrote in the book. The graphic designer – whom I’ve not met, unfortunately – has turned the idea into something even my wife likes (and that ain’t easy, let me tell you! ;-’)).

The book has received some wonderful endorsements already,  which I won’t reveal here, but which I gather will be printed somewhere outside and perhaps inside the book. Suffice it to say I owe a great debt of gratitude to the authors and business people who took the time to read the book and then actually find something nice to say about it.

Also, thanks to China Law Blog for taking the time and space to post something about the book. I didn’t know about the post until my father pointed it out to me just a couple days ago (see that Dan and Steve, even my father reads your blog!).

Look forward to the book coming out in Asia within the next two to four weeks; and in the States and Europe at the very end of the year.

With a new look.

Penguin Books is doing some literary lunches based on their Penguin Classics series (Penguin Classics Lunches) to celebrate their 5th year in China. The prolific and eloquent Paul French is doing one on November 19th in Shanghai and then again on December 3rd in Beijing. He’s going to talk about Andre Malraux’s excellent novel on Shanghai in 1927,  Man’s Fate – which is a Penguin Classic. I read the novel about ten years ago, and let me tell you, it’s one that’ll grab you by the throat and not let you go until the last pages. It’s also an amazing bit of Shanghai history.

Set in Shanghai, 1927, the novel tells the story of four people whose lives are altered against the backdrop of a changing Shanghai: Kyo Gisors, one of the leaders of the Communist insurrection; Ch’en Ta Erh, an assassin and terrorist; Baron de Clappique, a French gambler, opium dealer and gun runner, and Russian revolutionary Katov.

Shanghai
Friday, November 19th, 2010
M on the Bund
RMB 188, includes a three-course lunch with coffee or tea
Reservations: 6350 9988 or through the restaurant’s reservations page

Beijing
Friday December 3rd, 2010
The Beijing Bookworm
RMB150 includes a three-course lunch with coffee or tea
Reservations: The Beijing Bookworm

I’ve posted the posters promoting the Beijing event (top) and the Shanghai event (right). Strangely, the Shanghai poster de-emphasizes the juicy, descriptive bits about the novel; ie, “the blood splattered streets” and completely leaves out “the murderous suppression” hook. Guess Beijingers need their imaginations jogged a bit.

Anyway, I’ll be at the Shanghai luncheon. Maybe I’ll see you there!

The cover’s up on Amazon.com for my almost-published book, China Inside Out: 10 Irreversible Trends Re-shaping China and its Relationship with the World. The publisher (John Wiley & Sons) has also posted a synopsis of each of the ten trends for readers to contemplate, each of which has its own chapter. The book should be available the end of November this year in Asia; and just in time to miss Christmas in the USA and UK. At least, it better be, as I nearly killed myself meeting the publisher’s and copy editor’s ambitious deadlines. The publisher has also slashed the price by 30% on Amazon on the pre-order version of the book. Such a deal!

OK, so my royalties will take a hit and my little one’s college fund will have to be delayed; but it’s better than not selling any books at all!

Technorati Tags: book reviews, china, china inside out - the book

The cover for my new book – China Inside Out: 10 Irreversible Trends Re-shaping China and Its Relationship with the World – just came out. I think it looks cool. Kudos to the Production Team at the Singapore Division of publishing company – John Wiley and Sons – and especially to the graphic designer. When I met the production team at the publisher’s Singapore office in the Spring, the production team asked me for my ideas on the cover. I hadn’t any, really; though we all agreed: NO DRAGONS!

The cover is on the John Wiley site, but hasn’t been placed on the Amazon page for the book. Certainly, the book seems way less abstract than ever before, with a “face” to it.

I do hope readers find the book presents as many surprises if not insights as the cover suggests.

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ISBN: 978-0-470-82643-0

Re-balancing Global Power One Novel at a Time

Almost two months ago to the day my son was born. My first child. Now, my first ISBN was born; or, rather, the ISBN for my upcoming book, China Inside Out: 10 Irreversible Trends Re-shaping China and its Relationship with the World.

ISBN: 978-0-470-82643-0. How cool is that? I want to memorize this number. And now, whenever I walk down the streets of Shanghai or Suzhou and someone greets me, I want to reply, “ISBN: 978-0-470-82643-0″.  Actually, it was one of my nephews back in the States who twigged me onto the fact the book just became available for pre-order on Amazon. (Yes, he pre-ordered it – he said – good nephew). Except the book still lacks a cover (come on, you graphic designer!), so the Amazon page is not very attractive. You’ll find a full description of the book on the Amazon site, and on the publisher’s site at John Wiley & Sons. The John Wiley page for the book has a little tab behind which you can read the Table of Contents. I didn’t see anything like that on the Amazon site. The Asia edition of the book should be out in October-ish; the UK/USA edition the end of December (just in time to miss Christmas).

So, should you surf over to either the Amazon or the John Wiley sites to read a summary of the book, consider pre-ordering it – just takes a click of the mouse button. And a credit card. And a line of credit. I promise you it’ll be a good read.

And if you can’t recall the name of the book. Remember: ISBN: 978-0-470-82643-0 …

Linda Jaivin, one of the most prolific writers I’ve ever met, is a bubbly, charming Australian who’s been involved with China for thirty years. During the Suzhou Bookworm Literary Festival held during the first two weeks of March she introduced her two latest books, The Monkey and the Dragon, and An Immoral Woman. The Monkey and the Dragon is about her close friend Hou Dejian, and her own life in Taiwan in the 1980s, when paranoia and intrigue were thick in the air on the island nation. Hou Dejian was a legend in his own time in the late seventies and early eighties when he penned and sang the song “Descendants of the Dragon,” which became an anthem of sorts for young Chinese in Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Mainland. Hou also created a stir in 1986 when he defected from Taiwan to Communist China, more out of curiosity and ignorance, as far as I could tell, than for any reasons of idelogy. The Taiwanese government subequently barred Linda from entering the country, believing she facilitated the high profile defection. She did not, which the Kuomintang government eventually understood and accepted when the Mainland government kicked Hou out of China just after the Tiananmen incident.

An Immoral Woman sounds even more intriguing to me: an historical novel set in the early twentieth century, built on the lives of two extraordinary personalities against one of the most dramatic backdrops in modern history: the end of the Qing dynasty and the subsequent battles between warlords for domination of the country. George Morrison was a larger-than-life journalist for the Times of London, based in Beijing, who loved two things: boasting and seducing women. The woman who turned the tables on him most successfully was Mae Perkins, a young American heiress given to nymphomania. China, revolution, sex? What more can a sinophile ask for in a book?