Shenzhen: A Travelogue from China

When I first read Shenzhen I was a bit disappointed as I expected it to be more symbolic like Pyongyang was. However, after living in China for a few months the subtle way he introduces Chinese culture (specifically the south) makes this book spot on. The work ethic of those there, the cleanliness, and the fact that even though the city is huge there doesn't appear like there is much to do. Since this was written over ten years ago, many things have changed which make it a bit less relatable. For instance, language was a big issue Delisle had but now people can use their phones to translate. It is a good read if you understand the culture already but maybe less so if you are unfamiliar.

After reviewing Pyongyang, which I found very interesting and have already reread a couple of times, I ordered his other books, one of them being this one. I happen to love everything about Japan, China, and other Asian nations, so as you can guess I enjoyed this book very much. Yes, I have reread it a couple of times even before doing this review. In some ways Mr. Delisle didn't really tell us anything we haven't heard before a hundred times. Yet I think some of the events, some of the happenings that happened to him, were interesting in the way he presented them to us. Maybe because he deals with the world in the form of shapes and forms and interactions, that he wants to understand cause and effect, and how things work. There is no racism or buckteeth, not sure where one of the reviews got that, he just truly enjoys learning. I get the impression that he wants to understand just for the fun of it. He desires, in the end, to understand people, why they do things and uncover life's little mysteries. Like, who is stealing the manhole covers? Was the girl who put the photo albums on his desk in love with him? Why do the hostesses on the train give a military salute when they pull into the station? Get it used or new, but enjoy it.

This is an absorbing traveller's tale which I began reading late at night and couldn't go to bed before finishing. Not only didn't I find it boring but I disagree with most of the criticisms in Thy Tran's review. Firstly, Delisle made it clear that he tried hard to converse with and get to know his translator but received no encouragement, which he found quite disheartening. The incident where they only begin to talk a short while before he leaves, when the formality and apparent awkwardness inherent in their situation fall away and parting is suddenly close at hand, is entirely true to life and happens to all sorts of people both within and across cultures. Also, Delisle obviously tried several places to eat and a variety of dishes with varying success and for him to settle on reliable favourites, as a semi-permanent resident, is quite natural. We all do it both at home and abroad while keeping our curiosity and options open. It seems to me that Delisle does all this in an understandably human way and I cannot see how this reflects badly on his attitude. He is obviously frustrated by many things and makes no bones about it, but he remains curious about the world he finds himself in and tries to find a way into it through the thing he knows and loves best, drawing - and by seeking out the work of Chinese artists that he has a powerful response to. I also fail to see any of the stereotyping that Thy Tran seems to infer from the book and on another flick through it I cannot readily see any of the "buckteeth" he finds so annoying. Like Delisle's "Pyongyang" this is a highly enjoyable and very human book and I recommend it.

I first came to Shenzhen a year or two after Delisle spent his three months in the city, and I have been here since. Mr. Delisle should have gotten out a bit more and tried to get to know more expats at least, although understandable because his time was limited. There's no reason for a dull moment here. Nevertheless, many of his observations were spot on and made me chuckle about how things were and how some are still the same. The physical city has changed and it is so much easier to live a life with the comforts expats expect. Likewise, the outlook of the people here is much more cosmopolitan than before--although there are still many moments of cultural disjunction. The inherent story of Shenzhen isn't as compelling as his book on Pyongyang, but Delisle has found plenty of observations that keep the book flowing fast. It's great snapshot of a city in the midst of a huge transformation. (BTW, that 15 story windowless building you saw once, but never saw again. It's a parking structure that is still around.)

Guy Delisle's book is a great example of a graphic novel, though this being nonfiction is not really a novel, that is able, or rather requires, the drawings to capture the atmosphere of his life in China. Set in Shenzhen, a city that is primarily a mega-industrial park, Delisle is on a short term international assignment to oversee a company doing animation for a French tv show. Through a sparse, yet entertaining story line, and dark, almost smoggy illustrations, he is able to capture the alienation and isolation of a Westerner's expat life in this grim city. Furthermore, the lack of available distractions are highlighted by one weekend trip to Hong Kong. This book is an entertaining read, and for anyone who has lived abroad for even a short time, it is enough to make you give thanks you did not have to live/work in Shenzhen.

Hits the nail on the head - If you have lived in china for a while you will appreciate the subtle humour of this book