China is changing at a breakneck pace. Nearly all aspects are changing, no matter where, no matter how poor or remote the area. For at least twenty years, China has continuously been the world's most rapidly growing economy. Some observers say China is the most rapidly changing country in the history of the world, and most Chinese citizens see this change as "better, better, better".
Book Description
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A unique guide written by a unique traveler,
This review is from: Getting Around in China (Paperback)
GETTING AROUND IN CHINA by Fred Richardson puts the journey back into travel. The writing style takes the reader on that journey. As well as presenting necessary information and details on travel the book includes enough of his experiences finding his way that the reader vicariously journeys in China too in the manner that a travelogue does.
The first sections of this book present details on how-to for finding a hotel within your budget, locating good food at reasonable prices in interesting areas, and how to travel by train, boat, bicycle, including sections on personal safety, standing in lines, using telephones, finding internet cafes, even a brief section on handling the sensation of culture shock upon return from your trip. The last section of this small, useful, reasonably priced volume included well edited selections from the author's journals acquired over twenty years of China travel. They site short tales, reflections and give insights into the author's personal style that show how he has made so many Chinese friends over the years. Here is one of my favorites. "In Guangzhou, I found everything waiting for me. I assembled my bike in a quiet corner near the luggage carousels. A few people wandered over to watch and two security officers kept coming over to joke with me and help. When the bike was assembled, I asked the two officers, with a bit of Chinese and sign language, if they rode. Receiving an affirmative, I pushed the bike hard toward one of them and let go of it. He caught it as it went by, looking a bit worried. He jumped on it and rode it around the area and around the luggage carousals, to the amazement of everyone there. Then the other guard did the same, with a huge grin. They gave the bike back and I tied on my bags and bit them farewell. I hope they didn't get in trouble." A unique guide written by a unique traveler. This man lets his interests create the journey rather than a set schedule or preconceived itinerary. Although an invaluable resource for anyone traveling in China, reading this book expands the armchair traveler's sense of China.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Travel is in the Attitude,
By
This review is from: Getting Around in China (Paperback)
I don't intend to visit China but I loved this book. Richardson talks about the dailyness of travel, all those things that aren't well described in guidebooks. He gets annoyed, makes friends, cracks jokes in sign language, bicycles down dead end roads, gets told off by old ladies, eats watermelon with a borrowed knife, gets his teeth fixed, and eats dog meat. It's a convincing blend of the exotic with the ever-present realization that you are yourself and that's who you are, still, when you travel.
Richardson suggests ways to make immersion in a foreign culture, even one as seemingly impenetrable as the Chinese one, not only possible but entertaining and educational. Search for something or somebody so that you have an excuse to interact with people. Hang out with English students - they're hungry to exchange ideas. Prepare a photo album of your life at home and share it. Agree to things. Whether it's China or anywhere else you have in mind to go, read this book.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
