Book 63: China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power

It was years ago--probably 2004--that I heard a little piece on NPR about the trip recounted in this book. Rob Gifford was China correspondent for NPR for six years, so he recorded some audio pieces during the time of his trip on route 312. The one I remember is from a Christian home church in which he was called upon to preach and lead the singing when the minister was unable to be there.

It is impossible to be neutral about China. Some foreigners hate it from the first moment they arrive, and some love it so much that they put down roots and never leave.

 I fall closer to the second category; I loved China so much and almost took a semi-permanent job in Shanghai, teaching English to software engineers who wore yellow lab coats. But instead, I came home and married a software engineer who wears goofy tee shirts. I think I made the right choice, but maybe my software engineer and I will go back to Shanghai for a little sabbatical.

I listened to this as an audio book, and the only regret I have is that it wasn't Rob Gifford himself reading it.