Jan Wong's China: Reports from a Not-So-Foreign Correspondent

Not as good as RCB, but intriguing none-the-less. As a foriegner living in China, one of the hardest thngs to do is blend in & really get to know Chinese people (Chinese like to put their best foot forward w/ foriegners). Jan Wong has the advantages of not only blending in, but also approaching China with a critical, Western mindset. This is a great anecdotal book, one that is very revealing about China's present, from someone who has been through significant parts of its past. If you want to know about modern day China, pick this up.

The book reflects the opinion of China and Chinese people in the eyes a Canadian reporter (although she has Chinese breed, she grows up in Canada and received the westerneducation) The facts are mostly objective. As Chinese, Iexperienced and heard many ugly things similar to what happens in this book in China, although I did not haveopportunities to complain there. In contrast to what the other reviewer says, the author does not hide the accomplishment in the current China in the book. Of course, she also indicates many social problems, which the Chinese government can not avoid. As a Chinese reader, I think the author overemphasize the democratic movements and homosexual phenomena, to which not much attention is paid by common Chinese people. But as a western reporter,it is totally understandable. Moreover, the report on Tibetis also unbiased in that the author acknowledge the contribution by Chinese government to improve the livingstandard there.Well, if the reader wants to read something that fits the Chinese official specification for media: 90% for sheer acclaiming, 10% for superficial muckraking, please do not read this book but subscribe a English version of "China Daily" or "People's Daily", the sound of Chineseauthority, directly. Otherwise, Jan's book is well worthreading.

The book reflects the opinion of China and Chinese people in the eyes a Canadian reporter (although she has Chinese breed, she grows up in Canada and received the westerneducation) The facts are mostly objective. As Chinese, Iexperienced and heard many ugly things similar to what happens in this book in China, although I did not haveopportunities to complain there. In contrast to what the other reviewer says, the author does not hide the accomplishment in the current China in the book. Of course, she also indicates many social problems, which the Chinese government can not avoid. As a Chinese reader, I think the author overemphasize the democratic movements and homosexual phenomena, to which not much attention is paid by common Chinese people. But as a western reporter,it is totally understandable. Moreover, the report on Tibetis also unbiased in that the author acknowledge the contribution by Chinese government to improve the livingstandard there.Well, if the reader wants to read something that fits the Chinese official specification for media: 90% for sheer acclaiming, 10% for superficial muckraking, please do not read this book but subscribe a English version of "China Daily" or "People's Daily", the sound of Chineseauthority, directly. Otherwise, Jan's book is well worthreading.The other reviewer suggest people who want to know China betterto go to China for it, I bet they will well share the feelingof the author there, if they have opportunities to knowsufficient facts. I even doubt whether the other reviewer hasexperience in the civilizations out of China.

The book reflects the opinion of China and Chinese people in the eyes a Canadian reporter (although she has Chinese breed, she grows up in Canada and received the westerneducation) The facts are mostly objective. As Chinese, Iexperienced and heard many ugly things similar to what happen in this book in China, although I did not haveopportunities to complain there. In contrast to what the other reviewer says, the author does not hide the new economic accomplishment in China in the past decade in the book. Of course, she also indicates many social problems, which the Chinese government can not avoid. As a Chinese reader, I think the author overemphasize the democratic movements and homosexual phenomena, to which not much attention are paid by common Chinese people. But as a western reporter,it is totally understandable. Moreover, the report on Tibetis also unbiased in that the author acknowledge the contribution by Chinese government to improve the livingstandard there.Well, if the reader wants to read something that fits the Chinese official specification for media: 90% for sheer acclaiming, 10% for superficial muckraking, please do not read this book but subscribe a English version of "China Daily" or "People's Daily", the sound of Chineseauthority, directly. Otherwise, Jan's book is well worthreading.

The book reflects the opinion of China and Chinese people in the eyes a Canadian reporter (although she has Chinese breed, she grows up in Canada and received the westerneducation) The facts are mostly objective. As Chinese, Iexperienced and heard many ugly things similar to what happens in this book in China, although I did not haveopportunities to complain there. In contrast to what the other reviewer says, the author does not hide the accomplishment in the current China in the book. Of course, she also indicates many social problems, which the Chinese government can not avoid. As a Chinese reader, I think the author overemphasize the democratic movements and homosexual phenomena, to which not much attention is paid by common Chinese people. But as a western reporter,it is totally understandable. Moreover, the report on Tibetis also unbiased in that the author acknowledge the contribution by Chinese government to improve the livingstandard there.Well, if the reader wants to read something that fits the Chinese official specification for media: 90% for sheer acclaiming, 10% for superficial muckraking, please do not read this book but subscribe a English version of "China Daily" or "People's Daily", the sound of Chineseauthority, directly. Otherwise, Jan's book is well worthreading.The other reviewer suggest people who want to know China betterto go to China for it, I bet they will well share the feelingof the author there, if they have opportunities to knowsufficient facts.