The World of Lily Wong was a lovely newspaper strip about Hong Kong that ran for years in the SCMP. It's very relatable for westerners who have ever lThe World of Lily Wong was a lovely newspaper strip about Hong Kong that ran for years in the SCMP. It's very relatable for westerners who have ever lived in Asia, and lots of fun to read.
This particular collections showcases the most controversial stories, many of which were banned in the paper. For that reason, many of the stories seem quite mean-spirited. It may not be the most representative sample, but it's certainly makes for engaging and 'edgy' reading even if some of the satirical points have aged badly...
There's also an introduction by the author, cartoonist Larry Feign, which explains how the strip got cancelled from the South China Morning Post and why there wasn't a proper ending. While the other Lily Wong collections would certainly be better for newcomers and for people who just want to enjoy fun comics, this book is a very interesting window into biggest headlines of issues in Hong Kong (and China) during the 1990s. ...more
In 1929, socialite Bernadine Szold Fritz left America at the age of 33 to move to Shanghai. She stayed there for the better part of the following decaIn 1929, socialite Bernadine Szold Fritz left America at the age of 33 to move to Shanghai. She stayed there for the better part of the following decade, until war with Japan forced so many to leave. The world Bernadine inhabited and thrived in was alien in many ways, but also surprisingly familiar to anyone who has also made the trek from the West to East Asia in the 21st century.
It was a time of great change, when Shanghai was a cosmopolitan city yet split apart by a complex network of colonial powers. It was the early days of the Republic of China, before the culmination of the second World War and when civil war would force the KMT to flee to Taiwan.
The stories and places described in the book Bernardine's Shanghai Salon: The Story of the Doyenne of Old China are told through the eyes of a remarkable person, who achieved much in a time when women in either China or America had few rights compared to today.
Susan Blumberg-Kason, the author of her own memoir Good Chinese Wife about life and marriage in 1990s Hong Kong, did extensive research when writing this biography. It is a deep character study, listing a plethora of facts and figures, but also speculating on the deeper motivations and feelings Bernadine must have felt when going through the various personal challenges of her life abroad.
Bernadine was a journalist, writing most prestigiously for the New Yorker among other outlets, but unfortunately during this era she was forced into marriage as a way to support herself and her daughter. Indeed, she originally moved to Shanghai because of a proposal and often throughout the book she is held back by her marriage to businessman Chester Fritz. (It was her fourth marriage, in fact. Bernadine lived quite the life.)
The book is very much not romantic. Her husband, and previous ex-husbands, were products of the misogyny of the time, and tried to control and limit her in many ways. Despite that, Bernadine went as far as to help found the International Arts Theatre which produced many successful plays, ballets, and operas. The Soul of the Ch'in was the largest ballet ever performed in Shanghai until then, and the adaptation Lady Precious Stream was ahead of its time by being the first English-language production to have an all Chinese cast, a positive revolutionary moment considering previous versions of the play always utilized white actors in yellowface.
Throughout her years, Bernadine met many other famous writers and artists and the book namedrops quite the list of 1930s celebrities. She was good friends with author Lin Yutang, wrote letters to Hollywood actress Anna May Wong, and even knew the politically-connected Soong sisters who had such an impact on the history of China and Taiwan, such as Soong Mei-ling—the future wife of dictator Chiang Kai-shek.
With the expat perspective, Western readers who have lived in places like modern Shanghai, Hong Kong, or Taipei as well will be struck by how similar the sentiment is today. One disgruntled quote from a visiting friend of hers describes it well: “Thirty years—sometimes more—without troubling to learn the language, and these ‘Old China Hands’ pickled in alcohol considered themselves supreme authorities on the country and the people. They prided themselves on never mixing with the ‘natives.’ Was it due to the climate? They were inveterate grumblers.” Personally, I have met of those exact kinds of people in 2024.
Another interesting aspect of the book is Bernadine’s evolving Jewish identity. Perhaps that was why she felt like an outsider in her own homeland, and was able to move so far away. She says in one discussion, “I don’t know what to think anymore. I’ve gone through all the phases of hating it, of hating all Jews, of being proud of it and hating lots of Jews, of not minding one way or the other and having a few friends who are Jews, or deciding always to take the bull by the horns and in the most obvious way possible tell people right off.” Although she was never religious, as the years went by and horrors of Nazi Germany became more apparent, she participated in Jewish causes in order to aid refugees during the war.
Politics are ever present in the background of the book, but the most fascinating sections are focused on her own private life. Sexuality within her failed marriage is explored, there’s a breast cancer scare, among other issues with her career and family. The saddest aspect of all was her relationship with her daughter Rosemary who she chose to send to boarding school thousands of miles away in America, something hard to understand today, and that story ultimately ends in tragedy.
Bernadine Szold Fritz may not be well-known today, but she very much deserved to have a book written about her and Susan Blumberg -Kason is proven to be up to the task. Fans of history and of women’s issues will appreciate this ambitious book which gives a human angle to such a tumultuous time in the world. I certainly learned a lot, and enjoyed the read. ...more
An entertaining memoir about walking around so many places throughout the coasts of Taiwan. The author knows a lot about this place, and peppers his sAn entertaining memoir about walking around so many places throughout the coasts of Taiwan. The author knows a lot about this place, and peppers his story with interesting factoids. However, I wouldn't say this is quite recommended as an *introduction* to the region, because there's also a lot that one is expected to already know. This is more of a deep dive.
Written with irreverence in a casual tone, it's certainly not a scholarly work either. It is what it states it is: John Groot's walk around Taiwan, and it is that very much. He no doubt kept a detailed journal from 2006 to 2014, stopping and starting on this dream of experiencing nearly the entirety of the island. Every day is shown to be a small challenge. Some of it feels as if from another, less-developed era as he explored the small towns so far off from civilization. Other parts will be instantly recognizable to all readers familiar here.
It was a worthy journey, and even if not for everyone I for one am glad Groot kept a record of it. ...more
Letters From a Dead Mentor is a kind of non-genre novella, seems very autobiographical but also contains several short stories in a similar vein. WritLetters From a Dead Mentor is a kind of non-genre novella, seems very autobiographical but also contains several short stories in a similar vein. Written in the medium of letters, it is a direct take on the author's observations about life as a foreigner in China and about the hearts of the men who end up there. Some leave, some work in Japan for a while, all while reflecting on memory and also imagining what might've been...
It's not exactly a story structure per se, but a way to simply saying what this letter writer thinks without much pretense.
The other short stories are vignettes about this specific feel. Subjects include trains, talking to girls, and of course that common job westerners get in Asia. The themes herein are not universal, they are about certain places in China at a certain time from a certain point of view. In this the book is successful and expresses that atmosphere well....more
A very essential book for China watchers, of which I'm quite regretful that I hadn't read years ago...
The Soong Dynasty is particularly essential if A very essential book for China watchers, of which I'm quite regretful that I hadn't read years ago...
The Soong Dynasty is particularly essential if interested in Taiwan. Charlie Soong and his children were instrumental in the history of the Republic of China era, and Chiang Kai-Sheck - who of course married a Soong sister - is a major character in the book as well. Eventually, this story leads up to the ROC losing the war and moving to Taiwan. Spoiler alert of sorts, if you don't know basic Asian history.
The basics may be well-known, but it's the details that make this a thrilling read. Author Sterling Seagrave seeks to tell the honest truth and it is often brutal. Charlie Soong was apparently a fraud in his early years. Sun Yat-Sen was a lucky historical figure in a way, who just kept under the radar enough to not get associated and then be the last one standing to get credit as the inspiration for the first 1911 revolution. Then there's the drama of when Soong's daughter married the revolutionary leader.
What is most interesting are the revelations on the incredible corruption of the early Republic of China years. Chiang Kai-Sheck in particular steals the spotlight from the Soong sisters, after marrying his way into "royalty". He was connected to the Green Gang's organized crime network and his petty dictatorship did a terrible job during the Japanese invasion, squandering American support and all but guaranteeing that the people would turn against his regime. And don't forget the other Soong sister, married into the wealthy Confucian descendants the Kungs.
Not to say the book is pro-Communist, as it doesn't underplay any of Maoism's horrors. But that is not the book's focus, and it is worth learning about the failures of the Republic in order to understand why they lost the war to the Communists which then led to further suffering for China. And the Republic had a lot of failures indeed.
The book is not aiming to objective, but to be informative. It has a very strong point-of-view, which is backed up by copious footnotes. It reads almost more like creative nonfiction, with descriptive language about the hardships of life for the women and peasants of turn-of-the century China. It was a most difficult time.
History buffs and casual readers charmed by East Asia alike should read The Soong Dynasty, in order to understand the history of the 20th century and what led a billion people to live under the eventual People's Republic. I happen to live in democratic and free Taiwan, which is a place that acknowledges its sordid past under Chiang's dictatorship. But even still I only knew about it superficially, and I think now I'm starting to truly get it.
In the end, real life often has no good guys to root for, no happy ending. That's the lesson, at least when it comes to the Chinese civil war (and frankly, when it comes to the entire history of fascism vs communism). Positive change comes from gradual incrementalism, and such freedom has finally come to much of the world. But what a long and horrible path history had to take to get there, and even that only goes for this one island nation, when it comes to what grew out of those former dreams and nightmares of the Republic of China. ...more
Sky Burial is a profound book, written economically and powerfully, which explores the land and people of Tibet.
From the Chinese point of view, TibetSky Burial is a profound book, written economically and powerfully, which explores the land and people of Tibet.
From the Chinese point of view, Tibet is an exotic and mysterious place which as hard-fought to become part of the modern People's Republic of China. This book does not seem to take sides in any major international controversies, and simply tells what happens to these characters without judgment. Tibetans may have shocking customs, and live a brutal life in their traditional theocracy. Chinese soldiers may be unknowingly cruel during the old revolutionary times. It all is what it is.
There is a love story, tragedy, but ultimately it is about the land and the people represented by the family the author meets. An excellent way to learn about this place now so lost to time... At least it is remembered....more
The Boy with Blue Eyes is a novella about street children in Wuhan, which isn't quite what the title suggests, unless one is familiar with the other CThe Boy with Blue Eyes is a novella about street children in Wuhan, which isn't quite what the title suggests, unless one is familiar with the other China-centric stories of Travis Lee. The boy with a foreigner background stands out in this brutal setting, surviving and experiencing the worst of this city.
The writing is reminiscent of Hubert Selby and William Burroughs; it's not quite normal prose in the traditional sense of what a novel is supposed to be. Told in an experimental stream-of-consciousness style, the craft is powerful and takes much talent from the author. However, it is not very accessible for most readers. The overlap of Selby fandom and East Asia aficionados is a niche audience to say the least.
Glad this author wrote it and shared, very much worth reading for me. Just a little apprehensive to recommend for the reasons above, but for anyone who takes the time to enter this world then prepare for some dark, challenging, and sometimes brilliant poetry indeed... ...more
The Naked Wedding is a slim short story collection from a (formerly) China-based author. With sophisticated literary ambitions, it does tend to have sThe Naked Wedding is a slim short story collection from a (formerly) China-based author. With sophisticated literary ambitions, it does tend to have some self-centered stories. There is the writing about writing, the metafiction. From the first story: 27 Club about of course a struggling aspiring writer who wants to be worthy to die famous at 27, to the final clever story featuring the author as a character from the point-of-view as a phone which is aptly named Disposable.
“Your lyrics have poetry, but Dao Ge’s poetry has life. And life is not poetry, not if you really live it.” This refers to the poet who died at China’s infamous Foxconn factory, a theme which makes for an interesting intro and outro.
There are other stories from the Chinese perspective, about the city of Dongguan and racism and basketball. Another is told in an email format. Satires of business life. Tragedies about infidelity and the women left behind. And a disturbing tale of abused, broken people who try and fail to escape. Suicide comes up time and again.
The titular story, “Naked Wedding”, is a term that refers to a poor marriage without owning a home. The divide between sophisticated city life and the rural hometown villages is a contentious part of modern China life for millions, and very much worth writing and reading about.
The author has talent, but readers are left wanting more (always a risk with the short story medium). One hopes that McGeary will write something lengthier, incorporating all the elements briefly touched on in these stories, and satisfy with a complete novel one day…
Love and Other Moods is a novel with a lot to say. The new book by author Crystal Z. Lee takes place in Shanghai, starting with the backdrop of the 20Love and Other Moods is a novel with a lot to say. The new book by author Crystal Z. Lee takes place in Shanghai, starting with the backdrop of the 2010 Expo and continues on for several years through that decade. This makes for a good introduction to all the various elements that make up Rising China in the 21st century. Ostensibly, the character of Naomi Fita-Fan is the main protagonist. The half-Japanese and half-Taiwanese character, who does feel like a semi-autobiographical placeholder for the author, is a sophisticated businesswoman who comes of age while maneuvering throughout this complex landscape.
However, the city of Shanghai itself is the true star. The book continuously pours over details describing the evolution of the megapolis, full of history and politics and food and culture. The detailed backstory of the human characters generally serves as part of the world-building of this setting. The family backgrounds, the infodumps, even the dating scene these figures find themselves in—it’s all about making Shanghai as real as possible.
Although much of this describes a very upper-class scene, almost a “Sex and the City” in Asia, there is also a dark underside occasionally explored. Mentions of prostitution and drugs appear from time to time, which can be shocking in its contrast. The main hardships that the characters experience range from questions of identity, such as prejudice against Naomi for being Japanese in China and for being Asian in America. There is also tragedy and even violence that permeates through the history of this Communist land, as the main love interest Dante knows well.
Towards the end, the book becomes more of a conventional story. A typical love story in many ways, as the protagonist comes of age and deals with the challenges that arise from growing up. The generational divides that make up family, such how to get along with a family and how to define one’s own, are an endless source of conflict. Through all the heartbreak and even (spoiler alert) children, the relationship between Naomi and her best friend Joss is still just as valued as the romantic side.
Love and Other Moods might be classified as “chick lit,” and female readership does seem to be the intended audience. That said, anyone would enjoy learning so much about modern China by way of this book, and it is a valuable resource in capturing that moment in time…
Crystal Z. Lee takes the reader on a dazzling tour of hyper-cosmopolitan Shanghai. Here, the city is not romanticized in the typical manner, but portrayed the way it really is: exciting, loud, dizzying, sexy, sometimes risqué but always authentic. Love and Other Moods expresses the truthful energy of Rising China over the past decade, which those who’ve been would instantly recognize, and those who haven’t will find fascinating. It’s one of the most international places in the world, where everyone has a story, and some of those stories are told right here in this novel. ...more
Whether or not one would like this novel about English teachers in rural China, has much to do with whether one has been an English teacher in China. Whether or not one would like this novel about English teachers in rural China, has much to do with whether one has been an English teacher in China. And also how long one has been in China...
The whole expat-in-Asia first novel has become a bit of a cottage industry genre unto itself. I am perhaps guilty of this cliche as well, but let's not get into my own perspective and I'll try to be as broadly objective as I can.
That's just the thing though, this "genre" is by its nature subjective. Basically, if you have recently moved to Asia or are considering the move or just still in that mindset when everything is fresh and new, then Up to the Mountains and Down to the Countryside is a fascinating and possibly familiar tale of this grand setting that is CHINA.
Yet, it must be said, if you have read ten other novels with a similar theme then it gets tiresome after a while. Yes, being a westerner in China/Rising Asia is interesting. And at the same time, it's not really unique anymore. This general story has been told again and again. Usually the job is ESL teaching. Sometimes it takes place in the depraved big city, and sometimes in the less developed countryside. It's almost always, romantically speaking, about a white guy dating naive local girls.
So as this extremely niche genre goes, Up to the Mountains and Down to the Countryside is a very well-written one. The protagonists are two Foils, a young upright teacher who just moved to Ningyuan, and a scummy older guy who just likes to drink and is terrible at his job. Obviously. There is much detail about the job and the landscape, beautifully written with controlled prose. I particularly liked the dialogue style which works with regards to characters not always speaking English. One senses that it is at least a semi-autobiographical novel, which is both a strength and a weakness.
Quincy Carroll is definitely a talented writer, but I must say I would be more curious to see how his writing develops when he doesn't quite write what he knows. China is a very big place, and there are so many more stories to be told than this one yet again. Not bad as a first novel goes, there is potential, but I for one would like more.
So if you're a fresh expat, this novel is recommended. For a jaded old hand, I have to say it's less recommended.
“Disparate as they sounded back then, however, I realize now that the arc of his adventures share the same timeless threads that, throughout world his“Disparate as they sounded back then, however, I realize now that the arc of his adventures share the same timeless threads that, throughout world history, have driven other immigrants, expatriates, and refugees to the United States, only in reverse. His singular story has all the makings of an un-American folk tale…”
So author Tom Carter tells the story of his friend Matthew Evans, a perpetual hard-luck case who might just be the oddest expat you’ve ever heard of (and if you’ve been around a good number of expats, that’s saying a lot).
Evans’ tale begins in the small town of Muscatine, Iowa—where Xi Jinping actually visited in 2012. The comparisons of rural America to rural China are vivid, and in a way that makes it only natural that such a person would be driven to Shanghai and elsewhere as he seeks a better life. Spoiler alert, he never does get that better life.
This quote pretty much sums it up: “Like everything else that had happened to him in life, from leukemia to being deported, Evans took his dismissal stolidly and as a matter of course.”
Within this slim book, we are quickly taken on this man’s journey as he sadly gets diagnosed with cancer and then gets his first kiss and then loses his virginity and is then deported and then returns and then gets a fake degree and so on and so on. Somehow, Evans not only became an ESL teacher but was briefly a “professor” at *two* prestigious universities!
Matthew Evans becomes increasingly unsympathetic as time goes by, specifically when it comes to how he obliviously treats his female university students. There’s no question this poor fellow was not equipped with the skills necessary to make it in the world, whether in America or in China. But he does keep making it worse for himself. In the end, whether one approves of his character or not, it certainly can’t be denied that he’s dang interesting and I suppose that makes this a successful book.
Eventually, there’s a Burmese misadventure and jailtime and homelessness, and Evans is permanently exiled from China. Justifiably so, it must be said. Over in Hong Kong he finds himself tear gassed during the 2014 Umbrella movement and then joins the encampments purely out of personal convenience. That’s one way to witness history in the making.
The book is certainly a page-turner. Carter philosophizes from time to time, speculating on what it all means. It’s hard to say, but there are things herein worth thinking about. Where does a man like Matthew Evans belong? In just what society would he be able to make it?
The book is over before you know it, leaving the reader with a strange yet authentic taste of life in the margins of expathood. Whether one reads with a feeling of empathy, or just can’t look away from the train wreck, one way or another it’s a book definitely worth reading. ...more
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