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"A fascinating road trip through a land in transition. . . . Hessler's description of China's new drivers is hilarious. . . . Country Driving tells us as much about contemporary China even when Hessler is not on the road."--The Christian Science Monitor
"Delightful. . . . Epic. . . . The reporting in Country Driving is impressive in its scope. . . . Hessler delivers eloquent disquisitions on everything from how to buy a used car in China to the history of the Mongol conquest."--Dwight Garner, The New York Times
"Exceptionally moving. . . . Hilarious. . . . An absolutely terrific book, at once highly entertaining and deeply instructive. . . . Country Driving is a wonderful book about China that also happens to be a terrific book about the human race.--Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post
"Extraordinary. . . . Country Driving, like Hessler's previous works, tells the story of China's transformation powerfully and poetically."--The Economist
"Hessler has made a career of interpreting contemporary China and, for my money, nobody does it better. . . . Hessler is a magnificent guide to this largely uncharted territory, witty, insightful, keenly aware of the ironies of this communist-capitalist society."--The Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Hessler is a keen observer of mind-catching details and an engaging storyteller. . . . Full of exotic detail, solid reporting, and ironic observation, Country Driving offers a personal snapshot of the world's second superpower hurtling through the 21st century."--The Boston Globe
"Hessler's genius has always been in his wry commentary and ability to transcribe the rhythms of his environment onto the page. . . . From this cast of thousands emerges a picture of great hopes tinged with sadness at what is being cast aside without second thought."--The Wall Street Journal
"If you want to understand today's China, and the forces changing it, you need to read Country Driving."--The Huffington Post
"Lively. . . . Engaging. . . . Hessler sets out with some suspect maps and a great deal of bravado. . . . He shows the effects China's ever expanding network of roads exerts on individual lives. . . . Hessler [has an] irresistible urge to follow a story."--The New York Times Book Review
"Peter Hessler, a modern Marco Polo crossing China in a rented Jeep Cherokee, has witnessed signs and wonders worthy of a Coen brothers film. . . . Every so often, I read a book that upends my perceptions about a place. This is one of them."--Bloomberg News
"The best yet from Peter Hessler, whose two earlier books, River Town and Oracle Bones, were exemplary forays into the genre. . . . Told with his characteristic blend of empathy, insight, and self-deprecating humor."--Time
About the Author
Peter Hessler is a staff writer at The New Yorker, where he served as the Beijing correspondent from 2000 to 2007, and is also a contributing writer for National Geographic. He is the author of River Town, which won the Kiriyama Prize; Oracle Bones, which was a finalist for the National Book Award; and, most recently, Country Driving. He won the 2008 National Magazine Award for excellence in reporting, and he was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2011. He lives in Cairo.
Peter Hessler
4.6 out of 5 stars 417
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Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China
Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China
Peter Hessler
4.5 out of 5 stars 196
Paperback
$26.60
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E Wood
5.0 out of 5 stars Country Driving - A Chinese Road Trip
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 October 2012
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As interesting and perceptive ingsight - well written and with sensitivity - but, as with all reviews of such nature, one has to draw on a variety of different writings to build a picture of the complex situations that face any country and, whilst the writing can be humorous at times, one needs to be careful not draw on all these perspectives in creating any opinion.
Well worth reading. You will not be disappoitned and it is a captivating book - offering a variety of insights into the complexity of any developing situation - the dangers and the benefits. This book will certainly add to your understanding and should be appoached as the input of someone who has a creative understanding of China and repsect for its people.
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Hotwired
5.0 out of 5 stars Takes you into real China
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 August 2018
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A super sequel to River Town. Not quite as compelling but nonetheless a wonderful insightful, slightly idiosyncratic, exploration of life in a rapidly evolving China, though the various journeys are somewhat disjointed. Really a collection of observations beautifully written.
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David J.Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars Country Driving : A Chinese Road Trip
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 August 2013
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After reading Peter Hesslers "River Town" this lives up to his affectionate and intimate relationship with the Chinese people. His writing is fluid and humerous and betrays his love for the people with whom he spent a good part of his life.
Don't make the mistake if believing that this book is all about driving - far from it - driving is merely the vehicle (oops) for his experiences, thoughts and encounters in his journey. The second section of the book is reminicent of "River Town" where, based in a small village, he charts the changes that occur to the people and the surroundings as urbanisation encroaches.
If you have read and enjoyed "River Town" this will not disappoint.
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Liz
5.0 out of 5 stars a fascinating insight into a bizarre land
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 November 2013
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Having read and loved Peter's earlier book, River Town, while travelling in China, I was keen to read more. His writing is excellent, the people and stories really come to life to provide an extraordinary insight into the people, place and perculiarities of China today. Some lot the tales might be hard to believe if you have never been to China, but to me they massively enriched the experiences we had exploring there. Please write another book!
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JR
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 May 2014
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Having read Peter Hesslers other books I found this book most interesting. He has probably visited more out of the way places in China than most and put a very human face on whom we in the west think as an inscrutable people. Utterly fascinating and am looking forward to his book on Egypt.
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Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory
by Peter Hessler
4.23 · Rating details · 7,027 ratings · 697 reviews
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From the bestselling author of Oracle Bones and River Town comes the final book in his award-winning trilogy, on the human side of the economic revolution in China. In the summer of 2001, Peter Hessler, the longtime Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker, acquired his Chinese driver's license. For the next seven years, he traveled the country, tracking how the automobile and improved roads were transforming China. Hessler writes movingly of the average people farmers, migrant workers, entrepreneurs who have reshaped the nation during one of the most critical periods in its modern history.
Country Driving begins with Hessler's 7,000-mile trip across northern China,
following the Great Wall, from the East China Sea to the Tibetan plateau.
He investigates a historically important rural region being abandoned, as young people migrate to jobs in the southeast.
Next Hessler spends six years in Sancha, a small farming village in the mountains north of Beijing, which changes dramatically after the local road is paved and the capital's auto boom brings new tourism.
Finally, he turns his attention to urban China, researching development over a period of more than two years in Lishui, a small southeastern city
where officials hope that a new government-built expressway will transform a farm region into a major industrial center.
Hessler, whom The Wall Street Journal calls "one of the Western world's most thoughtful writers on modern China," deftly illuminates the vast, shifting landscape of a traditionally rural nation that, having once built walls against foreigners, is now building roads and factory towns that look to the outside world.
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Hardcover, 448 pages
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Adina
Jun 22, 2017Adina rated it liked it
Shelves: non-fiction, travel, china
It took me a while to finish this one as I could not read more than a few pages at the time. The information was interesting but many times too much detail was given. There were also some funny bits that I enjoyed.
One thing is for sure. I will forever bee afraid of Chinese tax-drivers from now on. Not that I did not find them incompetent already.
A more in detail review might come...or not.
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Vlad Kovsky
Jul 13, 2020Vlad Kovsky rated it it was amazing
Shelves: non-fiction, reviewed
There are many books written about China's economic miracle. There are many studies published every year for the last thirty years predicting impending collapse of China. Don't read those books, ignore these studies, read Peter Hessler instead.
The books attempting to capture 'the big picture' of the economic transformation of China invariably miss out on the role played by individual choices that drive this transformation. Hessler starts from a very different position. He travels, he talks to people, he makes friends, he observes what individuals strive for and how they accomplish their goals. Initially disjointed personal stories soon form a pattern, little streams converge into mighty rivers, hundred million former farm hands rush into cities, head to factories in the south to make 'China's economic miracle' not only possible but inevitable. Formed by individual choices, 'the big picture' arrives all by itself, without the need to tweak economic theories that failed to predict it.
Peter Hessler starts out like most westerners arriving in China would. He is intrigued by history, he attempts to drive along the entire Great Wall. As he observes the quickly changing world around him, his interest in the past gives way to the fascination with the present. Hessler realizes that he is witnessing a historical event of unique proportions not only for China but for the whole world. And he rushes to document it as a good journalist would, focusing on individuals he meets, armed with keen powers of observation and not encumbered by stereotypes or political dogmas. He carries no baggage of preconceptions, he is humble and open, full of the appreciation for the people he meets and the culture he learns about. This approach is what makes the book successful.
Hessler begins with sketches of hitchhikers 'petting an invisible dog' on the side of the road during his long drive along the ancient walls. He moves on to more detailed portraits of members of a family in a struggling village of Sancha. He follows the story of Wei Ziqi over the course of several years and records his transformation from a reluctant farmer into a successful businessman. Wei Ziqi's son, who calls the strange foreigner living in their house 'Uncle Monster', forms a strong bond with the author. Hessler finishes his story in the southern province Zhejiang, where he follows a small factory from its creation to eventual moderate success. He first meets and describes the bosses, documenting the essential ingredients for entrepreneurship in China, then switches to more endearing stories, fortunes and aspirations of several factory workers.
Peter Hessler's writing style is unadorned, economical, very easy to read. He combines well the main story line with some historical snapshots and throws in quite a few amusing anecdotes from his travels. (less)
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Ensiform
Feb 16, 2012Ensiform rated it really liked it
Shelves: non-fiction, china, travel
The author, a journalist and old China hand, describes life on the road in a rural China that is rapidly developing, with new roads and factories being built every year. At 420 pages, the book’s scope is much wider than the simple comedy of renting a car in a heavily bureaucratic society that nevertheless has a vibrant under-the-table economy, or the perils of driving in a country where most people behind the wheel have had very little training and eschew wipers and lights. Hessler rents a house in a village, and describes one family's gradual rise to political and financial success. He follows the Great Wall, visits an artist community in Lishui, and follows the creation, rise, and struggles of a bra-ring factory, and the workers who live in it.
So the title is only partially descriptive of the book, but so what? Hessler’s breadth of knowledge, empathy, sense for the human side of the story, and clear, witty writing make all his subjects interesting. He unfolds the drama of an ill village boy, and the disjunct between his own Western eyes and China’s traditional medicine coupled with xenophobic doctors. He shows the great cultural divide between East and West (citing “group impulse” twice to explain some Chinese behavior), but also zeroes in on the emotions and frustrations that all humanity share. He keeps encountering a sort of superficiality in Chinese economic life, where appearance is more important than content, and where bribes and lies are a part of life, but explores the deeper currents that motivate the players. Hessler is a gifted reporter of cultures, and this is a thoroughly fascinating look at a modern but still changing China. (less)
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Mikey B.
Jan 21, 2017Mikey B. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: travelogue, journalism, china, 21st-century-history
This is superlative! The author is engaging and gives us wonderful and sometimes heart-rending insights of the people in China; and at other times he is hilarious in describing the odd situations that pop-up now and again in a country that is vastly different from Western society. But this country, at the same time, is producing a wide variety of the goods used by Western society.
Page 294 (my book)
There was nothing more terrifying than a drive through the city’s coastal suburbs. Fifteen years ago, this region was all farmland... Now you judged transitions by advertisements on the side of the road... First I cruised through a neighborhood where virtually every billboard displayed hinges, and then I began to see signs for electric plugs and adaptors. Soon they were replaced by plastic light switches; next came fluorescent bulbs... At last I came to the district of Ru’an, which according to the local government was home to exactly 1,208 manufacturers of automobile engine accessories, brakes and steering systems.
The author is fluent in Mandarin (spoken and written) so he is able blend in and take in the activities around him, like family squabbles, business deals... China is a country undergoing massive transitions. Rural people have moved in the millions to urban areas to work in factories and do construction. The landscape is being physically flattened for the making of these factories and the vast network of roads surrounding them. Many of the people moving have little education (many are illiterate) – their life is in upheaval, but possibilities are endless.
Businessmen (mostly men) network with others. Part of this social process involves the handing out of cigarettes. There are hundreds of brands of cigarettes which signify the class of the person; for example there are cigarette brands smoked by people in rural areas – and more expensive types smoked in urban areas. By handing out a particular brand signifies who you are, or aspire to be, in this changing world.
Young girls are leaving home to move and work in the cities and manufacturing sites. They are becoming more independent. The author provides a stunning account of a fifteen year old girl who gets jobs at a factory for her entire family (she masqueraded as an 18 year old to do this).
The book is in three sections. The first is a road trip along the Great Wall. The second takes place in a small rural village that undergoes, within a few years, the transition to a more urban lifestyle due to the entrepreneurship of the villagers. Lastly the author spends time with workers and managers in the start-up of a factory that is making bra hooks and bra wires – by the thousands in whatever colour desired for the hooks, and all sizes for the wires!
This is a great book about a country on the move.
Page 362
“Going to a new job is like gambling.” Master Luo explained. “You leave and you hope that the new factory does well. If it doesn’t, then you probably can’t go back to the old job and the old life. What’s in the past stays in the past.”
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Gabriel
Jan 25, 2012Gabriel rated it liked it · review of another edition
County Driving is really three books in one. The first, about Hessler's road trip along the Great Wall and about driving in China generally is entertaining, but ultimately the least interesting of the three. Although the episodes of his road trip are interesting, it fails to add up to anything more than shaggy-dog story.
In the second part about life in a small village outside Beijing that undergoes huge transformation in just a few years as it is discovered by road-tripping Beijingers, Hessler stays put and takes the time to allow the full, rich story to unfold. The details are personal and insightful, at times emotionally touching and at times academically fascinating.
The third part, about a new industrial district in the south and a factory there, shows the same power of observation and insight as the second part. Through the experiences of one factory and one district, Hessler fills out a detailed picture of the modern Chinese economy and how it is changing.
The first part of the book is worth reading, but the second and third parts make it truly fascinating and enjoyable. (less)
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Amy
Aug 10, 2011Amy rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: shanghaimamas-book-club
We read this for the August Book club - but we didn't get a chance to discuss it because of schedule conflicts. I liked the book overall. It had a bit more detail than the ususual expat book because it was outside of Shanghai and Beijing. The one thing I kept thinking of while I was reading it was whether it was already all out dated. The book was published in 2010, but much of it was based on his research and trips from the early 2000's. So much changes so fast in China - everything is another whole generation past what he experienced. Here are some of the items I found most interesting or thought provoking, or were new insights considering I've already read about 5 expat memoirs/thinly veiled novels.
1. I never knew the use of headlights was banned in Beijing until the 1970s. That explains alot to me.
2. The old man who asked him if he was Chinese - "I thought you weren't Chinese!" That made me laugh.
3. I really wish some of the sections on the great wall had pictures. He is fine at describing things, but it is hard for me to really imagine things from his descriptons.
4. In the part where he talked about the differences between the three country brothers and the Beijing kids - he said, "I never saw kids like this in Beijing --in the capital, nearly everybody is an only child, coddled and spoiled from birth" It really evoked the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins for me - and it really is like that in China, how much the people in the cities have, vs. the subsistence life styles in the country.
5. I didn't know the bus drivers were paid on a percentage of ticket sales, that explains why the bus was so overstuffed in a long haul bus accident I heard about a few months ago.
6. Unbelievably -- it is the second time I have heard a story of the office paper from the US/UK sent to China for recycling - it was also in a book about Chinese quality.
7. I really liked the stories in the Village where he slowly befriended the towns people, I think that was the most engaging section of the book. It was interesting to see the families changing with the influx of money and the opportunities.
8. Also to see how they tried to navigate the politics - shows me why I am so bad at it here.
9. I think the stories of the people who work in the pleather factories are tragic.
Overall I really liked the book.
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Teresa Kennedy
Jul 11, 2020Teresa Kennedy rated it it was amazing
Peter Hessler’s writing never ceases to amaze me. I am blown away by how much detail and nuance he is able to include in his characters and settings. I suppose it comes from being hyper-observant, but to embed such details smoothly into a narrative that covers an extremely transient and complex place takes an unusual amount of talent. The level his Mandarin must be at to understand such detail makes what he does all the more amazing.
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Katherine
Apr 25, 2010Katherine rated it it was amazing
This book was my top read of the summer. I found myself laughing outloud, and searching for opportunties to read tid-bits to whoever was around to listen. Hessler has an engaging writing style, and an ability to effortlessly jump from an emotional, moving description that almost brings you to tears to a hilarious depiction so absurd you can't imagine it to be true. When he said he got on the new highway in China and couldn't get off for two hours because the on and off ramps hadn't been built, I about died. (less)
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Grace
Jul 10, 2020Grace rated it really liked it
A slow start, but ultimately a fascinating, human-centered insight on economic growth and urbanization in early 2000s China. Hessler nestles his way into the lives of rural Chinese as they navigate making better lives for themselves and their families in a country that's experienced repeated political and economic overhauls in the recent past. It was interesting to compare cultural similarities and differences between rural Chinese and rural Rwandans, as well as map Chinese influence in Africa in the same period.
What does it mean when the Great Wall becomes a cell phone accessory? Or when computers discs are most useful because they bounce light? Everything was tangled in these parts; there was no distinction between progress and improvisation. (less)
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Emily
Dec 29, 2010Emily rated it really liked it
Shelves: 2010
I picked up this book because I vividly remembered the author's 2007 New Yorker article about driving in China and about the Chinese becoming a society of drivers. This contains the same material but a lot more; it's roughly divided into three sections. The first is about exploring the Great Wall by car; the second is about a village north of Beijing, Sancha, where the author has a second home; the third is about a factory outside Wenzhou that makes bra rings (you know, the little rings on the straps that make the bra adjustable).
While I was reading this, there seemed to be a newspaper article every day that directly related to it or that was explained by it. What's covered here is great for understanding the news about China, but it's somehow very personal as well, because of the author's fluency in Chinese. Just his ability to hop into a rented car and drive around and chat with people makes him unusual among Westerners. The best section is the most personal one, dealing with Hessler's friendship with a family in Sancha.
My only complaint is that there are passages where the pacing of this book is a bit torpid--like a pleather factory in July? I think it could have been cut a bit. Still, I'll add his earlier books to my list. (less)
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AC
Aug 11, 2010AC rated it it was amazing
Shelves: audible, china
I haven't finished (listening), but I *can* write a comment now. This is a wonderful book. Hessler is a wonderful and brilliant writer. He has a deep and serious understanding of culture (as such), as well as of Chinese culture in particular; he is intelligent, observant, has emotional range, a sense of humor -- and, most importantly, he is writing about something important. The emergence of China is a world-historical event, and this book -- much of which takes place in rural China in 2002-2006 -- it is like reading Braudel.... or Hobsbawm's description of the emergence of modernity in late 18th cen Europe -- modernization of transport, of communications, of values... all taking place before his eyes -- only condensed from 50 years into 5. This book, and Oracle Bones (which is even better), will thus have value as a permanent record -- an on-the-ground reportage -- of events that historians will spend the next 50 years digesting.
And most importantly, reading or listening to Hessler is just so damned entertaining -- that it's a treat.
Well..., let me qualify that -- NOT most importantly...
.... but all the same... these books ARE a pleasure. (less)
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Brian Griffith
Aug 29, 2020Brian Griffith rated it it was amazing
Shelves: china, cultural-social-change
I think Hessler is the best kind of journalist, and the opposite of a sensationalist. He just hangs out with local people and conveys their struggles to completely change things. He must be a friendly guy to be allowed such access to people's family and business lives. They let him listen in as they conduct job interviews, discipline kids, handle tax inspectors, plan factories from the ground up, or have dinner with their families.
Part of the book concerns road trips. But most of it is about getting to know groups of ordinary people. Their intense pragmatism and determination to improvise give Hessler his opening to learn. We see how development areas are funded, how factories are thrown together, how police buy shares in speed traps, and traveling circus shows operate outside the law. Mostly, Hessler shows us common people taking huge risks, flying by the seats of their pants, making mistakes that are both dangerous and hilarious, clawing their way to a slightly better day. (less)
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John
Mar 23, 2013John rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: ebooks, travel, library_books
I finally finished this book, from sheer willpower more than anything else! Others may find his stuff fascinating, but for me as a reader he fails to "connect" - with stories that should seem personal coming off as detached. Moreover, the narrative is often bogged down with details (such as those concerning Chinese bra parts manufacturing). The first third of the book, traveling by car through China in days when passenger cars were rare, held my interest the most. (less)
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Robert
May 05, 2019Robert rated it it was amazing
Peter Hessler is a master of explaining national trends through the lens of everyday, normal people. What struck me most about the book was the depth of friendship Hessler built with members of the communities he visited, a testament to his grasp of Chinese and willingness to enter into their lives. I got the sense they became genuine friends, and were not just characters to be researched for a book. Would love to sit down with him and hear more stories from his life in China.
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The Nerdwriter
Nov 21, 2018The Nerdwriter rated it really liked it
Not sure why, but I got the urge to learn more about modern China. After researching a bunch of books about The Party, about Xi Jinping and geopolitics, I came across some glowing reviews for Peter Hessler's Country Driving, which presents China in the opposite way: from the bottom-up. Despite the boring title, this book was a great introduction to the Chinese people's perspective on their country, through the eyes of a subtle observer and writer.
The book is broken up into three parts: in the first, Hessler drives the length of The Great Wall, documenting the surrounding countryside; in the second, he rents a home in a small town called Sancha and lives for some years among the rural residents; and in the third, he documents the growth of a boom-town and the launch of a factory that manufactures bra rings. In all the book took the better part of a decade to write, and that patience offers depth, a depth you're not going to find in articles or headlines about China's latest this or that.
But what makes Country Driving really special is the people Hessler presents to the reader. As a foreigner in parts of China not used to seeing many, he has a talent for blending in, stepping aside and making local citizens feel comfortable enough to share their stories. In the course of hearing about these rich, changing lives, you learn so much about what it's really like to live and work in China. Every challenge, every milestone, every part of a daily routine speaks to a larger trend or philosophy, and Hessler is great at working in these contexts. By the end you have learned a lot about geopolitics and economics, not in an abstract way, but through the experience of people who are actually living the rapid changes in Chinese society.
And those changes (the book takes place from 2001 to 2007) are profound. You can see the effects a decade later: China is an economic powerhouse that grew (and is growing) much faster than many expected it could, while The Party still retains an authoritarian grip on power. Though political dissent is essentially impossible, the Chinese people -- even those from rural regions -- are not powerless. The chance for upward mobility in the new economy is everywhere for those who work hard and can manipulate their situation.
Hessler has a deep admiration for these people, but he's not wearing rose-colored glasses. He can't help but see the Chinese culture through American eyes, no matter how much he learns. He often experiences things that shock him, and they shocked me too, but he's doesn't judge and that encouraged me to do the same. The result is a feeling of sympathy for complex people facing a new world rushing toward them.
I'm sure I'll get to the top-down, zoomed-out books about China eventually, but I'm glad I started with this instead. It's not as boring as the title, just the opposite. Promise. (less)
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Sue
Oct 04, 2010Sue rated it it was amazing
Country Driving is Peter Hessler’s third book about China, and it might be the best one to convey the sense of rapid change in the country he knows so well. The book is in three parts, each covering personal experiences that Hessler had over the course of several years.
In a series of road trips following the Great Wall across northern China, he visits villages barely hanging on as their residents depart for cities. Hessler has an eye for the contradictions and ironies that abound. I love the cover photo, which is from this journey. A statue of a policeman looms over the highway to remind people to drive safely, but the driving is uniformly dreadful.
In the second part, he records the modern transformations in a single village near Beijing. His touchstone is a peasant family which has entrepreneurial vigor. The son of this family may be the most memorable character of the book. A wiry mountain kid who bounds through his wide-open environment turns before our eyes into a plump kid all Westerners would recognize — when he acquires television and packaged foods.
Finally, Hessler explores China's frenetic factory scene by way of a bra-parts factory which is typical of the hastily established get-rich-quick enterprises in a Special Economic Zone. The young women who know how to weasel themselves into a job are amazing.
I understand that Hessler has returned to the US to live. His three books have been memorable because he knew people so well and left me with indelible images of China. Welcome home — I guess — but will we have more books on China? (less)
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Margaret
Mar 19, 2012Margaret rated it it was amazing
Shelves: non-fiction, 5-star-books
Author / journalist Peter Hessler is one of my Top Favorite authors: He writes very well, he notices and finds "the interesting" in just about everything (and then makes you interested in these things as well), he is clearly fascinated by China and human nature, and observes and writes about both enormously well, and, on top of it, he's just an all around decent guy with whom it's fun to spend a lot of reading time. "Country Driving" is his third book about China, written while living there, and written without much more of an agenda other than relaying what he observes and making the Chinese and the country overall human and interesting.
ANYONE with ANY interest in China, or in human nature in general, MUST read this book! I also highly recommend his other two books: "River Town" (book #1) and "Oracle Bones" (book #2). This third book and book #2 in particular have helped me understand so much better the news about China that I read / hear from any other source.
Mr. Hessler has written for "The New Yorker" and "National Geographic", and that all makes sense: His style is news-y and accessible; interested in the world and in its inhabitants; and able to see the humor in situations but without denigrating his journalistic subjects. (less)
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Leslie
Jan 20, 2019Leslie rated it really liked it
Shelves: non-fiction
Fascinating, but long, account of the author's life in China for about 10 years, where he worked as a reporter for The New Yorker. In three parts, it includes a drive across China at the Great Wall, life in a small village, and investigation of the expanding industrial zone in the south. The theme of the entire book is the ever-changing nature of this country, where there is a massive migration from the rural areas into urban areas to work in what is China's exploding industrial revolution.
I started reading this before I visited China in the fall of 2017 and finally picked it up again over the last couple weeks; everything that he talks about in the book (published in 2010) is happening even more so now, as you can see the absolutely massive new building projects going on in cities that are home to millions of people.
The great thing about the book is getting the behind-the-scenes view that is only barely visible to travelers who are well-monitored and only allowed to see certain things. The Chinese culture is incredibly different than the west's, and it shows up in everything from how people drive to how communities are built. Excellent...and highly recommended if you want to invest the time. (less)
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Seamus Ronan
Jun 22, 2020Seamus Ronan rated it really liked it
Shelves: d-a
"In any case, a foreigner often feels most foreign while witnessing the early education of another culture. It's truly the foundation--everything begins in places like Shayu Elementary school. The classroom reflects the way people behave in the streets, the way village governments function, even the way the Communist Party structures its power."
I learned a lot from Hessler about places that I did not know much about. It gives me trepidation about the future of China--it seems like an unsustainable blend of capitalism and authoritarianism. (less)
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Ms.pegasus
Oct 11, 2011Ms.pegasus rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Recommends it for: anyone interested in modern China
Shelves: china
To many Westerners, the Great Wall symbolizes China: An ancient symbol of China's sense of otherness. Parts of it date back to the Period of the Warring States (200 BC); most of it was completed during the Ming Dynasty. Author and journalist Peter Hessler begins his narrative by fulfilling his long-held desire to drive the length of the Great Wall.
Our first inkling of the difference between China and America is the attitude toward the ancient wall. Over time, much of it is little more than a mud ridge, the bricks and stones having been recycled into houses and domestic repairs. In the 1920's one government plan proposed that the wall be converted into a roadway. At one point in his journey, a local man guides Hessler to the Great Wall – literally. When he stops he finds that he has parked his car atop the ancient relic! The guide cheerfully assures him that it's not a problem.
The book falls into 3 parts:
- An entertaining roadtrip filled with geographical and historical detail interspersed with hilarious observations about driving in China;
- village life (the author rents a domicile in a rural village (Sancha) and gradually becomes caught up in the flow of both endurance and change there); and
- finally, the factories spawned by the ambitious road-building program resulting from government modernization plans.
Despite the title, the feel is intimate and nuanced. Hessler becomes closely involved with the lives of Wei Ziqi, his wife Cao Chunmei, and their son Wei Jia during his stay at Sancha. He is a close observer of human nature. Admiration for Wei Ziqi's curiosity and ambitions for economic improvement are balanced with Hessler's recognition of Cao Chunmei's increasing sense of isolation and loneliness.
“The longer I lived in China, the more I worried about how people responded to rapid change....
I understood why people were eager to escape poverty, and I had a deep respect for their willingness to work and adapt.
But there were costs when this process happened so fast....
In the West, newspaper stories about China tended to focus on the dramatic and the political....
But from what I saw, the nation's greatest turmoil was more personal and internal.
Many people were searching; they longed for some kind of religious or philosophical truth, and they wanted a meaningful connection with others.
They had trouble applying past experiences to current challenges.
Parents and children occupied different worlds, and marriages were complicated – rarely did I know a Chinese couple who seemed happy together.
It was all but impossible for people to keep their bearings in a country that changed so fast.”
“중국에서 오래 살수록 급변하는 사람들의 반응이 걱정이 되었어요....
사람들이 가난에서 탈출하려는 이유를 이해했고, 일하고 적응하려는 의지가 깊었습니다.
하지만 이 과정이 너무 빨리 진행되면서 비용이 발생했습니다....
서구에서 중국에 대한 신문 기사는 드라마틱하고 정치적인 것에 초점을 맞추는 경향이 있었습니다. 하지만 내가 본 바로는 국가의 가장 큰 혼란은 더 개인적이고 내부적인 것이었습니다. .
많은 사람들이 찾고 있었습니다. 그들은 일종의 종교적 또는 철학적 진리를 갈망했고 다른 사람들과 의미 있는 연결을 원했습니다. 그들은 과거의 경험을 현재의 도전에 적용하는 데 어려움을 겪었습니다.
부모와 자녀는 서로 다른 세계를 살았고 결혼 생활은 복잡했습니다. 함께 행복해 보이는 중국인 부부는 거의 본 적이 없습니다. 이렇게 빠르게 변화하는 나라에서 사람들이 자신의 입장을 유지하는 것은 거의 불가능했습니다.”
COUNTRY DRIVING highlights many bizarre yet human aspects of Chinese life. There are detailed physical requirements in the Chinese rulebook. A truck driver must be at least 155 cm. tall (a shade over 5 feet). Passenger car drivers must be 150 cm (4' 11”) – which would disqualify me! It all seems to reveal a fascination with metrics, regardless of how irrelevant. In Subei, a city in Mongolia, the author is badgered by the police about his exact education level as a pretext for detaining the foreigner. A traffic management scheme in Baotou substitutes plastic statues of traffic police for real police officers in answer to the sudden boom in road building and traffic. The idea seems to be that numbers compensate for the lack of a trained workforce in this chaotic transitional period.
Throughout, there are tantalizing hints of an unbreachable linguistic gap. Slogans which sound ridiculous to us are casually accepted as part of the background noise of ordinary living. A SMOOTH ROAD BRINGS PROSPERITY AND DRIVES AWAY POVERTY. In 40 foot tall characters across a mountain in Inner Mongolia is the sign: EVERYBODY WORK TO MAKE THE GREEN MOUNTAIN GREENER. Hessler notes wryly that the mountain is not green, and the site devoid of a single working person. Perhaps the attachment to slogans represents optimism. Slogan piled on slogan will, perhaps, create a social “nudge” in the desired direction. Or, perhaps the slogans only seem bizarre to the outsider. After all, does anyone in America stop to analyze what “COKE IS IT” or “JUST DO IT” (Nike) means?
In contrast, there is a stoic candor to many of the axioms that persist. Shan gao huangdi yuan (The mountains are high, the emperor is far away); Mei banfa (Nothing can be done) or Wo bu guan (I don't control it),/i>. When Cao Chunmei sets up statues of Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy) and Kaishen (the God of Wealth) the author asks in typical Chinese fashion, how much they cost. She replies: “'We don't say that we 'bought' something like this,' she said. 'We say that we 'invited' the statues to come here. I invited them here because I thought they would help our household.'”
Hessler focuses on the cultural differences between China and America that paradoxically highlight our similarities. Much of the material for COUNTRY DRIVING was gathered for articles which appeared in NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC and the NEW YORKER. The result can at times be disjointed. This is a minor quibble. With his knowledge of the language and journalistic curiosity, he has created an entertaining and eye-opening account of recent change in rural China.
(less)
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Alex Kudera
Oct 11, 2018Alex Kudera rated it it was amazing
For Peter Hessler, if you aren't familiar with his writing from China, I suggest beginning with a couple pieces you can find online at The New Yorker: "The Middleman" or "Walking the Wall." If you're ready for an entire book, I'd try River Town first. (less)
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Kuang Ting
Dec 16, 2017Kuang Ting rated it it was amazing
This book concludes Peter Hessler's China trilogy. The first book is about his initial encounter with China. Second centers on cultural and historical areas. The third one is mainly the economic evolution. China has undergone substantial changes in every aspect since the economic reform in 1979. Hessler was the New Yorker correspondent in China during 2000s. He got a driving license and started his journey driving across China. This is his journal on the road.
There are three parts in this book. The time frame is 2000s. Many things are constantly changing. I find it somewhat surprising the world (China) can change so much in less than a decade. Hessler reported ordinary stories from ordinary peoples. It's the collective 'ordinary' that contribute to such unprecedented changes.
Regarding the three parts:
(1)The Great Wall
The year 2000 was an important year for Chinese automobile industry. Cars become affordable to many people. Many of them tried hard to pass the license exams. For the first in decades, common people were allowed to drive around China. The road infrastructure was completing. This was the golden age of cars in China. Hessler rent a car in Beijing and drove westward. He followed the ancient trail of The Great Wall. He wrote about the special observations on the road. He traced the origin of The Great Wall and discussed its meaning in Chinese history. This part is really extraordinary!
(2)Villages
Hessler rent a house in a village near Beijing. It was a serene and plain village in the mountains. Nothing special at all. Hessler would come here to relax and did some writing. He befriended with local people. He was gradually accepted by these residents. Meanwhile, Hessler started to identify everyone's 'secrets'. As the road system extended, many urban people started to visit this area. They wanted to 'remember' the coziness of rural lives. The major protagonist here is Hessler's landlord, Mr. Wei. Wei was a smart guy. He found some upcoming business opportunity. Gradually, Wei become richer and better. This was just one of millions similar stories in China in that period. It shows how traditional lives were influenced by economic development.
(3)Factories
Hessler drove south to visit many factories. Thousands of development projects were under construction. This massive scale is not easy to comprehend. Again, Hessler met lots of figures and showed how they dealt with the rapid economic advancement. There was also one major factory which manufactured bra components. Hessler chronicles its history from setup to going on the track. How did businessmen thrive? How did normal workers pursue their dreams? Readers would get a glimpse of how Chinese people grow in 21st century.
Country Driving is very approachable. The information and stories are very useful to understand contemporary China. Highly recommend! (less)
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컨트리 드라이빙 - 만리장성부터 공장지대까지 자동차로 달린 7.000마일 중국 여행기
피터 헤슬러 (지은이),양희승 (옮긴이)중앙books(중앙북스)2012-01-25
원제 : Country Driving: A Chinese Road Trip (2011년)
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474쪽152*223mm (A5신)664gISBN : 9788927802983
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책소개
출간 즉시 아마존 베스트셀러 1위, 2010년 아마존 올해의 책(논픽션 부문), 2010년<이코노미스트>베스트 북에 선정된 책이다. <월 스트리트 저널>로부터 ‘현대 중국에 대해 가장 통찰력 있는 서구 작가’라는 별칭을 받은 저자가 베이징 특파원으로 장기간 체류하면서 겪은 중국의 모습을 풀어낸 가장 밀접한 기록이다.
피터 헤슬러는 만리장성부터 공장지대까지 자동차로 7,000마일을 달리며 농부, 이주 노동자, 기업가들을 만나 수많은 이야기를 나누고 책에 다양한 에피소드를 풀어 놓는다. 저자는 지도에 표기되어 있지 않은 지역에 대해 위트와 통찰력을 가지고 훌륭하게 안내하고 있으며 중국 사회의 자화상을 아주 흥미롭게 표현하고 있다. 중국을 꿰뚫어 보는 사려 깊고 매력적인 단 한편의 여행서로 지금껏 만나보지 못했던 중국을, 독자들은 이 책에서 만나 볼 수 있을 것이다.
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목차
서문
1부 만리장성에서
2부 마을에서
3부 공장에서
감사의 글
일러두기
책속에서
1988년 서울 올림픽이 한국을 일거에 변화시키지 않은 것처럼 베이징 올림픽 역시 중국을 변화시키지 않았다. 대신 우리가 여기서 주목해야 할 것은 보다 포괄적인 의미에서의 개방화이며 경제와 문화 그리고 정치 영역 모두를 아우르는 외부 세계와의 일련의 교류 활동이 증대되고 있느냐 하는 점이다. 한국은 1970년대와 1980년대를 통... 더보기
P. 199 중국인들이 외국인에게 보내는 찬사의 근원에는 그들의 불안감이 깔려 있었다. 많은 사람들, 특히 교육받은 사람들은 내면 깊은 곳에서 외국인의 눈에 비친 자기 나라의 모습을 부끄럽게 생각하고 있었다. 자오 박사는 나를 아픈 아이를 걱정하는 아빠의 친구가 아니라 의사로서 자신의 경쟁력을 불신하는 외국인으로 보고 있었다.
P. 345 기차역에선 한 무리의 이주자들이 쏟아져 나왔고, 버스 터미널은 외지인들로 발 디딜 틈이 없을 정도였다. 새 고속도로를 오가는 차량은 대부분 구직자들을 실은 장거리 버스였다. 연평균 1000만 명 정도의 증가세를 보이는 이주자들을 수용하느라 내륙 지역의 성들과 각 지역을 연결하는 버스 노선들이 무수히 생겨났다.
P. 281 싼차 마을의 2006년은 쓰레기 수거의 해가 되었다. 새로운 도로와 새로운 자동차들과 새로운 건물들이 연이어 등장했던 지난 5년간의 변화로 그런 상황을 맞게 된 것이다. 싼차 마을이 번창하고 있다는 사실을 단적으로 입증한 것은 늘어나는 쓰레기들이었다.
P. 319 1980년대 중국의 민간 경제가 활성화된 이후 가장 빠른 성장세를 보인 지역이 원저우였는데 당시 중앙 정부는 ‘원저우 모델’이라는 표현을 사용하며 그들의 성공을 치하했다. 원저우 사람들의 사업 전략은 매우 단순했다. 그들의 기본 원칙은 소규모 투자, 저품질, 저수익 상품 생산이라는 말로 요약할 수 있다.
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추천글
단 한 장의 지도만으로, 미래를 향해 나아가는 중국 사회의 자화상을 아주 흥미롭게 표현하고 있다. - 퍼블리셔스 위클리 (미국)
대단하다! 《컨트리 드라이빙》은 헤슬러의 이전 작품처럼 중국의 변화를 힘 있고 시적 감흥을 불러일으키는 문제로 이야기한다. - 이코노미스트
생기 넘치고 매력적이다! 헤슬러는 의심스러운 지도와 배짱으로 여행을 시작한다. 독자들은 그의 이야기의 거부할 수 없는 매력 속으로 빨려 들어가게 될 것이다. - 뉴욕 타임스 북 리뷰
피터 헤슬러의 전작 《리버 타운》, 《오라클 본즈》 이후 여행 장르에 모범이 될 만한 최고의 책이다. 작가 특유의 공감, 통찰력과 자신을 비하하는 유머까지 모두 녹아들어 있다. - 타임 (미국 시사주간지)
피터 헤슬러는 지프를 빌려 중국을 여행한 현대판 마르코 폴로이며, 코언 형제의 영화사로부터 관심을 받을만한 자격이 충분하다. 중국에 대한 생각을 바꾸어놓은 책 중 하나다. - 블룸버그 통신
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저자 및 역자소개
피터 헤슬러 (Peter Hessler) (지은이)
《월 스트리트 저널》로부터 '현대 중국에 대해 가장 통찰력 있는 서구 작가'라는 별칭을 받은 피터 헤슬러. 프린스턴과 옥스퍼드에서 영문학을 전공했다. 2000년부터 2007년까지 베이징에 거주하며 《뉴요커》의 특파원으로 활동했고,《내셔널 지오그래픽》에 정기적으로 글을 기고했다. 《컨트리 드라이빙》은 《리버 타운》, 《오라클 본즈》를 잇는 중국 3부작의 완결판으로 2010년 《이코노미스트》 베스트 북, 아마존 올해의 책에 선정됐다. 첫번째 책인《리버 타운》으로 키리야마 환태평양 도서상을 수상, 2008년에는 《내셔널 매거진 어워드》 ... 더보기
최근작 : <컨트리 드라이빙>,<리버 타운> … 총 23종 (모두보기)
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양희승 (옮긴이)
1962년 서울에서 태어나 연세대학교 물리학을 공부했다. 케이블 TV m.net과 독립 TV 프로덕션 ㈜서울제작단, 국제 방송 교류재단 아리랑 FM에서 프로듀서로 일했고, 현재 출판 기획사 ‘프라임 코리아’를 운영하고 있다. 옮긴 책으로는 <6월 이야기>, <법정의 아이들>, <킹콩>, <웃음 다이어트>, <플렉스>, <모든 가능성은 열려 있다>가 있다.
최근작 : … 총 9종 (모두보기)
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출판사 제공 책소개
미디어 혹은 우리가 가지고 있는 편견으로 만들어 낸 중국의 이미지가 아닌 파란 눈의 외국인 저자가 8년여 간 살면서 보고 듣고 느낀 바를 탁월한 통찰력으로 기록한 책이 여기에 있다. 저자는 《컨트리 드라이빙》을 통해 최대한 객관적인 눈으로 중국에 머물며 보고 듣고 느낀 변화를 유려한 문체로 표현해냈다.
출간 즉시 아마존 베스트셀러 1위, 2010년 아마존 올해의 책(논픽션 부문), 2010년《이코노미스트》베스트 북에 선정된 《컨트리 드라이빙》은 《월 스트리트 저널》로부터 ‘현대 중국에 대해 가장 통찰력 있는 서구 작가’라는 별칭을 받은 저자가 베이징 특파원으로 장기간 체류하면서 겪은 중국의 모습을 풀어낸 가장 밀접한 기록이다.
전세계가 인정한 최고의 중국 여행서
지리학적 특성으로 인해 정치, 경제, 문화적으로 뗄래야 뗄 수 없는 관계를 가지고 있는 우리나라와 중국. 이제 가깝고도 먼 나라는 일본이 아닌 중국일지도 모른다. 한류열풍으로 한국 아이돌 가수들의 콘서트가 연일 매진되는 것도 중국이요, 서해상에서 우리 해군과 총을 겨누는 불법 어선들의 모습 또한 중국이다.
현재 중국의 상황을 완벽하게 설명할 만한 비교대상은 존재하지 않는다. 국가의 규모나 고유의 역사 그리고 특수한 정치 상황을 감안할 때 중국의 변화 과정은 독자적인 방향으로 진행될 것이 분명하다. 정치, 경제, 문화적인 교류가 기하급수적으로 증대되고 있는 지금은 우리가 중국에 대해 다시 한 번 이해하고 생각해 볼 시점이다. 이런 현대 중국의 모습을 가장 정확히 표현해내고 있는 책이 바로《컨트리 드라이빙》이다.
피터 헤슬러는 만리장성부터 공장지대까지 자동차로 7,000마일을 달리며 농부, 이주 노동자, 기업가들을 만나 수많은 이야기를 나누고 책에 다양한 에피소드를 풀어 놓는다. 저자는 지도에 표기되어 있지 않은 지역에 대해 위트와 통찰력을 가지고 훌륭하게 안내하고 있으며 중국 사회의 자화상을 아주 흥미롭게 표현하고 있다. 중국을 꿰뚫어 보는 사려 깊고 매력적인 단 한편의 여행서로 지금껏 만나보지 못했던 중국을, 독자들은 이 책에서 만나 볼 수 있을 것이다.
과거와 현재를 잇는 중국 3부작의 완성
《컨트리 드라이빙》은 《리버 타운》, 《오라클 본즈》에 이은 저자의 중국 3부작의 완결판이다. 《리버 타운》에서는 푸링이라는 작은 마을에서의 생활을 통해 빠르게 변화하는 현대 중국의 모습을 정교하게 보여줬고, 《오라클 본즈》에서는 고대와 현대, 동과 서를 넘나들며 가장 다이나믹한 변화를 이루고 있는 중국의 모습을 탐험했다. 그 대서사의 마지막은 바로 《컨트리 드라이빙》이다. 한편의 유쾌한 서사영화처럼 펼쳐지는 만리장성의 모습과 한 마을이 개방화에 따라 변화하는 모습 그리고 하루가 다르게 급변하는 공장지대까지…. 《컨트리 드라이빙》을 읽는 그 순간 당신은 지프차를 타고 중국의 한복판을 달리고 있는 기분을 만끽할 수 있을 것이다.
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리뷰쓰기
공감순
중국을 조감하는 완벽한 시선
이 책에 대해 말하자면 일단 이 저자에 대해 월스트리트 저널이 '현대 중국에 대해 가장 통찰력 있는 서구 작가'라는 별칭을 선사했다는 것에서부터 시작해야 겠다. 이 작가에 대해 이보다 더 적확한 말은 없을 듯 하니 말이다. 과거 '리버 타운'이라는 책 속에서 중국에 대한 맛깔난 체류서 내진 기행서를 적어 내려 갔던 그가 이번에는 중국 전역을 빨빨 거리며 돌아다니면서 들었던 이런 저런 생각들을 푸짐하게 늘어놓는다. 만리장성에서부터 시작해서 남부 지역의 공장지대와 베이징 변두리 마을까지 구석구석 중국을 섭렵하면서, 그는 중국인들에게는 물론이요, 다른 나라 사람들에게까지 보여지지 않은 중국의 진면목을 우리에게 선사하고 있었다.
그것도 그가 이 글을 쓸 당시만해도 중국에는 그다지 흔하지 않았다는 렌트 카를 이용해서, 그는 절대 가면 안된다는 곳까지 경찰들의 눈을 피해가면서 용케 중국 전반을 스케치하고 있었다. 그리고 바로 그것이 이 책의 묘미였다. 한번 읽기 시작하면 손에서 놓을 수 없는 여러가지 흥미로운 풍경과 인간적인 모습, 그리고 중국이라는 외국 사람들에게는 다소 이해하기 힘든 곳에서 삶을 영위하고 있는 중국인들의 일상들을 적나라하게, 하지만 남세스럽지 않은 정겨움으로 묘사해 놓고 있었으니 말이다.
요즘 하도 읽을 것이 없어 아무 생각없이 집어 들었던 책인데, 초반부터 어찌나 구성지게 중국을 그려내고 있던지 깜짝 놀라고 말았다. 이런 종류의 책에서 의례 예상함직한 퀄리티를 월등하게 넘어서는 문장력이었기 때문이다. 도무지 작가가 누구야? 라면서 다시 저자를 들여다 보니, 피터 헤슬러...오래전 재미있게 읽었던 <리버 타운>의 저자라는 말에 그가 아직도 중국에 살고 있었다는 것에 놀랐고, 여전히 중국에 관심을 갖고 있다는 사실에는 더 놀랐으며, 게다가 이젠 어느 중국 사람들보다 중국에 대해 모르는 것이 없다는 것에서도 놀랐다.
7년간의 중국에서의 체류가 그에겐 전혀 허수로 보낸 세월이 아니었던 것이다. 어찌나 알차게 중국이란 나라를 음미하고 있던지, 부러울 지경이었다. 하지만 이 작가에게 가장 놀란 점은 중국이라는 지극히 모순되고 이해가 불가한 나라를 바라보는 그의 완벽하고도 믿음이 가는 통찰력과 이해도였다. 외국인이 타국을 바라보는 시선에는 어느정도는 편견이나 부족한 오해, 내진 그릇된 시각들이 존재하기 마련이다. 아무리 노력을 한다고 해도 외국어를 자국어처럼 구사하기 어려운 것처럼, 타국을 자국처럼 이해한다는 것은 거의 불가능하다.
객관적으로 바라볼 수 있다는 점이 어쩌면 더 그것을 어렵게 하는 것인지도 모른다. 그렇게 되기까지의 지난한 과정들을 함께 겪지 않았기에 피상적으로만 본다면 이해가 안 가는 기괴한 일들이 비일비재할테니 말이다. 하지만 그 피상을 넘어서 그 속을 들여다볼 수 있다면 외국인들이야말로 그 나라를 평가하는데 있어 가장 최적의 조건을 가진 사람들이 된다. 객관적인 동시에 주관적일 수 있으니 말이다. 다만 문제라면 그 두가지를 뛰어 넘을 수 있는 사람들이 별로 없다는 것. 기행문이나 체류 보고서들이 별로 재미가 없는 것이나 흥미를 넘어서 신빙성에 의문을 가지게 되는 것도 그때문이다. 그런데 이 작가는 그 두가지를 가뿐하게 뛰어 넘더라는 것이다. 그렇다 보니 이 책이 재밌는 것은 물론이요, 현재의 중국을 바라보는 공정한 시선을 제공해 주고, 더불어 그곳에 사는 사람들의 모습까지 생생하게 들여다볼 수 있게 해줬다는 여러가지 장점들을 발견할 수 있게 되었다. 단 한권으로 현재의 중국을 들여다 볼 수 있다니 이 얼마나 큰 행운인가? 더군다나 그것이 읽는데 고통스럽지도 않고 ,마냥 흥미진진하게 읽을 수 있는 기행문이라면 말이다. 이런 책은 독자로 하여금 저자에게 무조건 고개를 숙이면서 감사를 올려야 하는 그런 종류의 것이다. 하니 아직 이 책에 대해 아무것도 알지 못하신다는 분들은 꼭 한번 들어 보시길. 특히나 중국에 대해 호기심과 관심이 많으신 분들이라면 안성맞춤이지 않을까 한다. 과거와 현재를 드나들면서, 저자는 중국의 미래 나아갈 방향까지 그려내 본다. 그것이 바깥에서 보기엔 한없이 극적이고 극단적이며 기괴한 것일지라도, 실은 그것이 중국민족 개개인들의 일상이 모여서 된 것이라는 점을 저자는 분명하게 보여주고 있더라. 흥미로운 통찰이었으며, 어떤 작가보다 더 설득력 있는 시선이었지 않는가 한다. 하여간 중국에 대해 관심이 없는 사람에게도 흥미롭게 읽혀질만큼 작품성 높았던 책, 좀 진지하게 읽을만한 거리를 찾으시는 분들에게 적극적으로 추천한다. 다정하고 인간적이며 편견없는 책이다. 이런 책을 읽으면서 미소를 짓지 않기란 매우 어렵지 않을까 생각하면서. 미소를 짓진 않게 되더라도 적어도 수긍의 고개짓은 하게 되지 않을까 자신한다. 참고로 말하자면 분명 논픽션인데도 소설처럼 읽힌다. 렌터차 직원들과의 실갱이나 베이징 변두리 농부들과의 부대끼며 살았던 일상, 그리고 신흥 공장 지대를 밀도 있게 심층 보도한 것들은 드라마보다 더 드라마틱하다고 해도 과언이 아니니 말이다. 거기에 종종 잔잔한 감동마저 선사하니 이런 기행문에서 기대할만한 퀄리티가 아니라고 한 말이 무슨 뜻인지 짐작이 되실 것이다. 아마도 이런 수작은 앞으로도 나오기 매우 어렵지 않을까 한다.알고보니 저자의 중국 삼부작중 마지막 작품이란다. <리버 타운>과 이 책을 읽었으니, 2편에 해당하는 <오라클 본즈>도 빨리 나와주길 두 손 모아 기도해 본다. 다행이다. 이 책을 읽어 내려 가는 동안 페이지가 달랑달랑 하는 것이 어찌나 심란하던지, 일부러 천천히 읽었다. 그래도 마지막 페이지를 넘겨야 하는 순간이 오는 것을 막지는 못하더라는 것. 책이 끝나지 않고 계속되기를 정말로 바랐는데 말이다. 하여간 아직도 저자의 안 읽은 중국 관련 책이 남아 있다는 사실은 내게 그래도 좀 희망을 준다. 저자는 이제 중국을 떠나 미국에 정착을 했다고 한다. 그렇다보니 아마도 이 책이 저자의 마지막 중국 기행문이 될 것이다. 아쉽다. 그의 중국 기행이 계속되었음 했는데 말이다. 하지만 달리 생각해보면, 이런 책을 남겨 주셨다는 것만으로 나는 넘치게 그에게 고마워 해야 할지도...
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