There are many China experts talking about China, but most do not really understand China. Kishore Mahbubani is one of the few I would like to recommend who can talk about China with some understanding. His most recent book "Has China Won" generate quite a stir in Western academic circles and there were a few debates with other experts you can access in YouTube. He is a retired … [Read more...] about Has China Won by Kishore Mahbubani
Book Review
Dr. Bethune’s Children
Living in the West has the advantage of access to everything from good to bad as long as you have money, but one disadvantage is being somewhat cut off from Chinese literary scene. Thus I was excited when NYT recently talked about a Chinese living in Montreal having his novel translated to English published. His name is Xue Yiwei. He immigrated from China to Canada on a skill … [Read more...] about Dr. Bethune’s Children
In Praise of “Yiyun Li (李翊雲)” and ‘Kinder than Solititude”
Growing up as a baby boomer in U.S. one experienced great changes, from civil rights, music, and now China looming in the horizon. It was a time of idealism, protests against Vietnam War, and environmentalism. Yet it is a disappointment that boomer generation wind up as Yuppies, Reagan democrats, and now Tea Partiers. For a Chinese American like myself any news about China and … [Read more...] about In Praise of “Yiyun Li (李翊雲)” and ‘Kinder than Solititude”
Kissinger’s “On China” – not quite a book review
Instead of a proper review, this is more like a sketch of the thoughts which struck me while reading Henry Kissinger’s On China. In the past, writers were often individuals who saw things differently. Being different helped them to highlight alternative perspectives and popular social ills. Once in a while, they turned out to be right, and even listened to; and their visions … [Read more...] about Kissinger’s “On China” – not quite a book review
Truth Bent, Credibility Broken – a scathing review of Ping Fu’s book & her actions
The following is a re-posted review (find the original on Amazon.com) of the book "Bend, not Break" by Ping Fu. For those who don't know the context, this book is an "autobiography" detailing the horrors Ping Fu supposedly faced during the Cultural Revolution (a summary of her side of the story is on Wikipedia). When Chinese netizens started to investigate and voice skepticism … [Read more...] about Truth Bent, Credibility Broken – a scathing review of Ping Fu’s book & her actions