going to China - books to read?

[Locrian]

Shanghai actually. Would like to read up on the history - some of the basic stuff from ancient times, but more interested in recent stuff (last 200 years). Economic development, culture changes, etc.

Any books to recommend? Would like to get the 'real' story - not some whitewashed portrait etc, nor a super "scholarly" level detail.

[liberal N proud]

1. Go to the travel section of the book store, they will have books about traveling in China.

I was looking on my bookshelf, but I can't find the book I bought a few years ago for my first trip.

Find something that talks about how to greet people, meals and entertaining as well as getting around in China. Those are the most difficult areas and can have the most stark differences than US culture.

If you are there on business and have the opportunity to go to dinner with a group, enjoy it for the experience, be mindful of the toasts, they like to challenge outsiders with drinking skills.

Most of all take it all in, the wonderment, the sights the experiences.

I was surprised at the whole experience the first trip.

When I go to China, it is Being for business and usually get a weekend for sightseeing. If you can get a local to accompany you, it make navigating all things China much easier.

[Locrian]

2. thanks

I'll look those up...

What I'm looking for is history on the economic expansion, and the 'good and bad' of the government and its history.

[liberal N proud]

5. Whatever you do, avoid discussions with Chinese about the government or the party.

Keep in mind where you are.

[NewJeffCT]

3. when I went for the first time

the Lonely Planet travel book was very helpful. Of course, I also went with a native (my wife).

[TuxedoKat]

4. Wild Swans

The full title is Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang. It's about the lives of three generations of Chinese women, the first one born in 1909. I started reading it a few years ago and got sidetracked and didn't finish it (not that it wasn't fascinating) but will as it's next on my list. The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices by Xinran is another good book (but sad) that I read recently.

If you haven't seen it, Farewell My Concubine is a good movie about China before and after the cultural revolution.

A very interesting cultural difference I learned recently from my Chinese teacher is that they don't say "thank you" as much as we do over here to people on the street (say for instance, if someone opens a door for you). In Chinese culture, "thank you" is implied, as in, of course you would appreciate a stranger holding a door open for you so there is no need to say thanks whereas we think someone forgot their manners when they don't say thank you over here for the same thing. Some might find it insulting or that one is putting on airs if a Chinese person said thanks all the time to other people in China. I wonder if this is changing with the younger generations and global influence though.

Have a great trip. If you get a chance, I don't know if they still have any "old culture" areas left in Shanghai, but ask someone to bring you to some if so. A friend brought me to such an area in the city of Tianjin in 2003, and sadly, even while we were there, they were tearing down parts of it and rebuilding it in a new "modernized" version in preparation for the Olympics. I don't know if any of it is left, but I hope so.

Just thought of some more books. Imperial Woman: The Story of the Last Empress of China by Pearl S. Buck. It's historical fiction based on the life of the real last empress of of China who died in 1908. I read it years ago and it was great! I need to reread it again. Her book, The Good Earth, is great too, if you've never read it. It also falls within your time frame. I never knew until years later that it was part of a trilogy, which includes, Sons, and A House Divided, also good books. I can check some of my sources for other titles but these were ones with which I had personal experience. Enjoy!

[Locrian]

6. thanks!

@TuxedoKat - that's what I was looking for (in addition to the standard travel books). I will definitely check into those.

And "thank you" (pun intended) for the insight - again, that's the kind of info I'm looking for. Do you know any book that would cover those types of cultural issues?

[TuxedoKat]

9. You're welcome

Encountering the Chinese: A Modern Country, An Ancient Culture by Hu Wenzhong. I haven't read this, just found it on amazon.com but it has five stars and some good reviews. One of the reviewers recommended this book too: Intercultural Communication, by Ron and Suzanne Wong Scollon. Hopefully I will have a reason to read these myself too sooner rather than later.

The advice someone gave you above about seeing the country with some natives is very sound too. You probably already know this, but first, you will see and visit places that regular tourists may not see, and you will get such better insights into the country. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it takes so much stress away from travelling. You can really relax and enjoy what you're experiencing so much more. You can really open up to the country more than you can when you are by yourself or with other westerners. Well again, hope you have a great trip.

[Locrian]

10. again thanks

I'm going on business, and have met and worked with my Asian counterparts for about a year. Won't have enough time, but will have 'guides' and help!

[Kablooie]

20. I second Wild Swans.

I read it recently and it clearly describes life in recent China.

Today's China has some echos of that period but is a completely different place.

[datasuspect]

7. YOU WANT THE TRUTH?!?!?!? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!!!!

[Brother Buzz]

8. Check out author, Harold Stephens

I believe he wrote a couple of books that will fill your need.

[mrmpa]

11. When you return, please post about your trip..........

Last edited Sat Aug 4, 2012, 01:41 AM - Edit history (1)

My Father was stationed in Shanghai after WWII. He was in the Marines. He had a beautiful book, with photos.

My Dad was about 18-19 years old, a skinny kid from Philadelphia. He told us stories of being on SP Duty with Turkish soldiers. The Turks, he said, were all over 6' tall and big, brawny and all they carried was a sword, no sidearms. When they were called to a bar fight, the Turks would enter and everyone would start running away.

[TuxedoKat]

12. That's a great story...

I'll bet your dad has many more!

[mrmpa]

13. Yep he did..........

Last edited Wed Aug 1, 2012, 01:12 PM - Edit history (1)

unfortunately we lost Dad in 2000. I wish he were still around for more stories. He would have been pissed at Palin, in particular for one thing she did. That was going after the Chief of the State Police in Alaska, Walter C. Monahan, Jr. Chief Monahan was the son of a Marine my Dad served with in China and Korea. Chief Monahan's father was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, posthumously. My Dad was with him the day his actions were recorded. As my Dad said, "Walt (Sr.) saved our lives that day." I don't know if we still have it, but Dad had a picture of Walt riding a horse in Shanghai.

[TuxedoKat]

15. Sorry for your loss

hope you have a chance to write down these great stories for your family as it sounds like your dad had a very interesting life!

[mrmpa]

17. Thank you........

We are a family of story tellers. I know about great uncles & uncles who served in WWI and WWII. About those that came home & those who didn't. My nieces and nephews know those stories. Every time someone stops by, they probably learn something they didn't know.

[lastlib]

14. Two good reads....

...about the Mao era:

Red Star Over China, and
The Other Side of the River both by Edgar R. Snow

[MissMarple]

16. Check out James Fallows

"China Airborne" just came out. He writes for The Atlantic and spent a year there.

[UTUSN]

18. Theoretically I should be able to help, but can't. I took two semesters, upperclass level

of Chinese history. The professor was Chinese whose organizing principle was to read/assign two or three different books/authors for every topic because getting multiple versions/perspectives would reveal the salient truth. It was a humongous amount of reading.

The main thing I still remember is that different waves of barbarian invaders would eventually be subsumed by the Chinese culture.

The other thing was the perspective he gave us about the final exam, how he addressed our panic about the hundreds of personages over 5,000 years: How important is Lester MADDOX compared to LINCOLN, focus on the LINCOLNs. Actually, that didn't help much since it was all a blur.

So, no, I don't have a single book I can recommend, sorry.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

19. Before I go to a new country (or even a new part of the U.S.) I ALWAYS

buy the Insight Guide for that place. These can be found in most large bookstores and on Amazon.

First of all, it's not really a travel guide in the sense of telling you where to stay or eat, although it does have brief appendices with practical matter.

It begins with a historical overview of the country/city/region and proceeds to topic-by-topic essays on culture, written by locals or by long-term expatriates. There's usually something on food, patterns of behavior, the arts, festivals, sports, religion, minority groups, and things that might be unique to that particular place. For example, the Insight Guide to Hawaii has a chapter on the decline and revival of the Hawaiian language. Insight Guide to Cuba has a chapter on how Fidel Castro's retirement has affected the country. The Insight Guide to England has a chapter on pubs.

After the cultural essays come narrative essays about the principal cities/neighborhoods of the place. They're great for helping you decide where to go and what to see.

Best of all, these books, especially the travel narratives, are lavishly illustrated with beautiful photographs.

Once you've figure out an itinerary, you can refer to a more typical travel guide, such as Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.

Hey, if you're going only to Shanghai, Insight has a guide to that city:

http://www.amazon.com/City-Guide-Shanghai-Tina-Kanagaratnam/dp/9812823638/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1344096157&sr=8-9&keywords=Insight+Guide+to+China