| | |  | Interior Design Books | Home » » River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze (P.S.) | | | | | | | Description: | | A New York Times Notable Book Winner of the Kiriyama Book Prize 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. | | | Features: | |
• ISBN13: 9780060855024
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
| | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Peter Hessler | | Paperback:
| 432 pages | | Publisher:
| Harper Perennial | | Publication Date:
| May 01, 2006 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 0060855029 | | Package Length:
| 7.9 inches | | Package Width:
| 5.2 inches | | Package Height:
| 1.0 inches | | Package Weight:
| 0.7 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 189 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 A Young American's Rich Experiences Teaching in Fuling China (1996-1998)Sep 09, 2010
"River Town," by Peter Hessler, relates the experiences of the author and his colleague, Adam Meier (two twenty-somethings), as Peace Corp volunteers teaching in the city of Fuling in Sichuan Province, China during 1996-1998. Hessler indicates that in addition to teaching, his personal goals were to immerse himself into Chinese culture so as to become a better writer, and also to learn to speak, understand, and write Chinese. It is within the context of these goals that Hessler shares his personal experiences. As he explores Fuling and other geographical sites(e.g., Raise the Flag Mountain, Wu River, Dadu River, Yangtze River, City of Yulin, City of Chongqing, et al), like a tour guide, he virtually `stops along the way' to reflect on the history associated with these sites.
Hessler taught English to Chinese students, and he describes this overall experience as quite gratifying. He views his students as bright, motivated, and (inwardly) creative. At the same time (paradoxically), Hessler feels that, because of the political system, the Chinese people have very narrow ideas; e.g., they are accustomed to learning by rote, accepting facts without question (particularly from authority figures), and copying slogans verbatim (which borders on plagiarism). In an effort to bring out their creativity Hessler required his students to playact various Shakespearian plays (e.g., Hamlet), and to memorize (and sense the `musicality' of) the sonnet; Hessler laments that most American students wouldn't willingly study poetry. To further bring out their creativity and their individual thoughts, Hessler assigned his students various `thought-exercises'; e.g., he asked them to analyze how Robin Hood might view (and be viewed by) modern Chinese society. The sample responses are thought-provoking and highly creative.
Hessler portrays his experience learning Chinese as extremely challenging, but gratifying. Initially, he tried learning on his own. He discovered that there is no such thing as the `Chinese language'; the particular `Chinese language' that is spoken depends on the person's background and education level. More specifically, Mandarin is spoken by educated people, especially the young. Then, there are numerous dialects which differ drastically from one another. Most of the people in Fuling were uneducated and spoke a dialect called Sichuanese. Eventually, Hessler found two teachers (whose service was funded by the Peace Corp). Because neither teacher spoke English, all lessons were (fortunately) conducted exclusively in Chinese. Hessler draws a contrast between the American `gentle correction' style of teaching (i.e., praising the student for what she/he got right) and the Chinese `harsh correction' style (i.e., based on the premise that perfection is expected). Initially, Hessler clearly favored the American `gentle correction' style; but ultimately, he seemed to become `sold on' the Chinese `harsh correction' style, particularly regarding teaching/learning a foreign language.
Hessler describes Fuling as noisy and polluted, but quite fascinating. Fuling is located in the Yangtze River Valley, along the Yangtze and Wu Rivers. Overlooking Fuling is a mountain that has two names: Peach Bottom Mountain (not commonly used) and Raise the Flag Mountain (commonly used). The Dadu River runs into the Min River which runs into the Yangtze River which passes the slopes of Raise the Flag Mountain. As Hessler explores Fuling he `stops' to reflect on the history of Raise the Flag Mountain. Specifically, Hessler cites The Great Teiping Rebellion (started in the mid-1840s by Hong Xiaquan and his greatest general named Shi Dakai) against the Qing dynasty. Hessler describes how (72 years later) Mao's Communist forces arrived at the same Dadu River during the heart of the Long March. Interestingly, Hessler's assessment of Mao's effectiveness running China essentially agrees with that of Jung Chang (author of `Wild Swans') when he states, "Mao lacked the vision and experience necessary to run a country effectively, and power inspired him to build a cult of state-worship around his image." Hessler points out that both Hong Xiaquan and Mao Tse-tung were officially opposed to opium, foot binding, prostitution, and gambling; however, ultimately, both leaders began to acquire the very same trappings (and fall victim to the same corruptions) against which they had campaigned---e.g., vast mansions, hordes of sycophants, and innumerable concubines.
Hessler describes the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution as disasters; and he criticizes both Mao Tse-tung (orchestrator) and Chou Enlai (facilitator) for their respective roles in these programs. By contrast, Hessler praises Deng Xiaoping for criticizing The Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, for which he was purged twice. However, Hessler laments that, despite Mao's (and to a lesser degree Chou Enlai's) crimes, some Chinese (particularly, young people) still view them as heroes/gods. More specifically, Hessler expresses dismay that his Chinese students shared a positive view of Mao (which stems from an announcement made by Deng Xiaoping that "Mao was 70 percent right, and 30 percent wrong"), and that they made light of the disastrous Cultural Revolution. Ironically, Mao's wife (Chiang Ching) and the `Gang of Four' are not viewed by the Chinese as heroes --- e.g., there are no monuments built to them.
Among the many other interesting topics presented by Hessler is the Yangze Three Gorges Project, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world. Work on the dam commenced in 1993. The Three Gorges Project was first conceived by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and later considered by Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Tse-tung, Deng Xiaoping, and Premier Li Peng. Hessler summarizes the advantages of this project, and does an especially good job articulating the many disadvantages. Another fascinating topic presented by Hessler is the White Crane Ridge (along with its history), a famous hydraulic relic in the Yangtze River. This relic remains almost perennially submerged in the water except during the dry seasons (winter and spring), when its carvings (e.g., fish, calligraphy, etc.) dating back to the Tang dynasty (618-907) are exposed to view. Many other interesting topics are covered in this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to 'share' Hessler's rich experience.
The Best Non Fiction Book I've Read in a Long TimeAug 12, 2010
I've recommended this book to a lot of people and purchased it as a gift for a student who spent a semester in China and a public school administrator who introduced a Chinese language program in a public school. This book gave fascinating insight into the Chinese culture and made me laugh and cry. Wonderful!
a must for anyone interested in ChinaAug 10, 2010
River Town is probably one of the best books on China written from a "waiguoren's" (foreigner) point of view I've read so far. It is also my favorite among the three China books by Peter Hessler. With regard to how beautiful and effortless the language flows, tender and detail-oriented descriptions and observations, and a general sense of pathos throughout, few other authors I've read come close to Hessler. Aside from the daily account of life in a remote river town in China, there are many thought-provoking and insightful passages that strike a deeper cord and attempt to see things beneath what they appear to be. Hessler's writing almost has a Chinese ink painting quality to it. Overall, a mesmerizing read.
seeing Technology effect on ChinaJun 28, 2010
The effect of technical changes are seen clearly by an American serving in Peace Corp. Gradual manmade changes on the landscape and people are described in first person accounts over a two year period
of living along he Yangtze just prior to the rising waters created by construction of the 3-Gorges Dam. The Author as a young scholar teacher gradually became integrated into the fabric of the
Rural Area in part by mastering Chinese Language basics with help of a tutor preceding and during his Peace Corp. Mission.
 A very good book that brought back some memories...May 26, 2010
River Town Book Review (05-15-2010)
Much like the book China Road by Rob Gifford, another very young man but heavily loaded with Western ideals of personal religious upbringing, Peter Hessler of River Town is also strongly soaked in his Western cultural upbringing but he is not so close-minded and biased without ever questioning on his own earlier perception in view of his new encounter in China. Gifford had gone to China as a college lower division (sophomore) student attracted to China by writings from Pearl Bucks except Gifford could not be a missionary. Peter Hessler came to China as a college teacher under the Peace Corp volunteer program and engaged in teaching, not preaching. But most importantly he was open-minded enough to see, though very slowly, how the Chinese people, particularly, his students and his fellow teachers view their country.
It is worth noting that the strongest gift Hessler possessed while in China was his ability to observe critically not only what he sees in China but the contrasting Western views also critically as well. He noted how his students conducting
themselves in class, often very self conscious but he grabs the opportunity to introduce Western perception on various cultural ideas to his students. His students, most of them, are from rural peasant background, a background none of his American readers can truly appreciate. They are poor, POOR, and going to a teacher college is almost heaven sent opportunity not to be wasted. Some of his students came to realize Hessler¡¯s style approach to his teaching and the relation with his students¡¯ informal and sincere is a great way to build relationship with their future students.
The two fellow teachers at the college to teach Hessler Chinese are two very contrasting characters in their personality as well as temperament and they both became good friends at the end but not without a very difficult struggle between Hessler and the woman teacher, with surname Liao, who is a very strong minded person with her opinion and also deep conviction with what she believes. But after long, in fact, very long last both Hessler and Liao came to recognize the strong points of each other and becoming good friends. Readers may feel frustrated with Liao because of her rigidity yet a great movie buff of Charlie Chaplin satire movie of Adolph Hitler, The Great Dictator, but the ending relationship would undoubtedly ring a cheerful sounding bell in the mind of the readers. And this little dialogue between these two was one of the ¡°bridges¡± connected them.
There was a Catholic Father in his 80s and the readers certainly will adore this old priest particularly in the current world wide scandals of Catholic priest behaviors one would wonder why such kind of conduct is so prevalent in Western culture.
Hessler is a frequent jogger and hiker in the country side that brings him in contact with rural peasants and their families. Such encounters brings wonderful visits between him and the common peasants who often invited him to their house for tea or even meal and that is a common tradition Chinese do with people they like and rarely be discouraged by the humbleness of their homes.
Another daily routine of Hessler is his meals at the very inexpensive restaurants or roadside stand eating places from someone who brought simple, but tasty, food to sell on the sidewalks. But there were two ugly incidents Hessler had to confront, one was a woman who might be a part time prostitute, and the other was a small mid-aged shoe shine fellow, and these were the two incidents Hessler did not settle with kind words. While reading the incident between him and shoe shine small mid-aged man, I wrote my marginal comments in the book that Hessler was one who had gone to study at Princeton University and then two more years at Oxford, but could not take a more thoughtful gentlemanly approach toward this little fellow who clearly resented this wai guo ren (foreigner) privileges.
Throughout the book Hessler introduced Chinese expressions or words and one particular expression is bu dui (wrong, incorrect) often used by his Chinese teacher Liao when Hessler made a mistakes or said things she did not agree. But I would suggest to him, and other writers of this kind of writing, to introduce certain good and helpful expressions to Western readers. It is proper and respectful to address a college teacher as Professor Smith but it is not very respectful at all to address a teacher as Teacher Liao, in America or in China. The correct and respectful way in Chinese language is Liao Laoshi (ÀÏʦ¡ÖOld Master, Honorable Teacher). If insisted, a translation such as Master Teacher Liao . The word or character Lao (ÀϨT old) should NOT be literally translated as old in American-English when used as part of a respectful title, because the word old, in American-English contains much negative, weak, bad and undesirable quality implications while the opposite is true in Chinese language; it means experience, wisdom, knowledge and maturity through life-long years. In fact, this writer of this review would be happy to testify that in his retirement years he has had much more opportunities to reflect and think as deeply as he knows how and study as widely as he is able to on various subjects he could not have done when a younger person, say at age of 50 or even 65! However, one universal aspect of not being readily to consider innovative new ideas is quite often brushed aside in many folks in more advanced age, perhaps, undesirable characteristics of aging.
(Footnote: I have read Hessler's second book Oracle Bones, so the 5-Star rating is saved for that book!)
| | |
|
