River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze (P.S.)

In the heart of China's Sichuan province, amid the terraced hills of the Yangtze River valley, lies the remote town of Fuling. Like many other small cities in this ever-evolving country, Fuling is heading down a new path of change and growth, which came into remarkably sharp focus when Peter Hessler arrived as a Peace Corps volunteer, marking the first time in more than half a century that the city had an American resident. Hessler taught English and American literature at the local college, but it was his students who taught him about the complex processes of understanding that take place when one is immersed in a radically different society.

Poignant, thoughtful, funny, and enormously compelling, River Town is an unforgettable portrait of a city that is seeking to understand both what it was and what it someday will be.

Customer Reviews:

A fast and engaging read

Hessler writes candidly about his experiences in China as if he were writing to a friend back home. His accounts of conversations between himself and the locals are priceless, both funny and sad. This book really brings to light the hardships of Chinese farmers and their children, who seek to escape their rural lives by getting an education and joining the Communist Party.

Hessler's self-deprecating tone and funny anecdotes about his cultural mishaps make this book entertaining and touching. I strongly recommend it for anyone who wants to visit China or is interested in learning more about what makes this complex society tick.

2008-06-23

Easy, Interesting Read

Interesting peek into Chinese life. Four stars because I left wishing for something a bit deeper. Highly recommended.

2008-06-10

Simply delicious

Hessler's writing is a joy to read. His dry wit reminded me, somehow, of Joseph Heller's Catch-22. Except that Hessler's irony is friendly and warm whereas Heller's brilliance was cynical and ruthless.

Hessler does an excellent job of providing details to a story that get you to feel what he was feeling, rather than trying to tell you how he was feeling. And his stories about having the same conversations over and over reminded me of my own travels abroad, and the split personality that one does develop as a not unpleasant coping mechanism.

In addition to superb, reflective writing, Hessler conveys the peculiarities of Sichuan life with an affectionate tone. I look forward to reading his "Oracle Bones".

2008-05-21

The next Peter Mathiessen

If you're a fan of visual travel writing, in the style of Peter Mathiessen (The Snow Leopard), you'll probably enjoy this book very much, although the ground it covers is semi-urban China, rather than the wilds of Nepal. Hessler has an exceptional eye for detail and a strong ability to bring the reader into the sensory experience of China.

2008-05-16

One of my favorites

Others have already provided in-depth reasons as to why they rated this book five stars, but these are mine:

1. Hessler's work reads like a suspenseful novel; I couldn't put it down for several days and learned a good deal.
2. Hessler never comes off as remotely condescending toward the people of Fuling, which is unfortunately more than I can say about most authors of travelogues.
3. Hessler includes excerpts from his students' essays, letters, and newspapers that communicate more about Chinese culture than could any formal history book.

I am currently reading another of Hessler's books, Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China's Past and Present and recommend it to anyone who enjoys River Town or any historic nonfiction.

2008-04-13