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Kosher Chinese: Living, Teaching, And Eating With China's Other Billion (2011)

by Michael Levy(Favorite Author)

3.83 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0805091963 (ISBN13: 9780805091960)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Holt Paperbacks

review 1: The subtitle of “Living, teaching, and eating with China’s other billion” had me wondering, but it was explained. It is a reference to the remote regions in the internal part of China where modern thought and amenities don’t have as strong a footing as the coastal areas around Beijing. This book is the account of the author’s two years spent in Guiyang as a Peace Corps Volunteer teaching English at Guizhou University. It is the account, as well, of the friendships he developed and the struggles to resolve his own beliefs with the Communism so deeply ingrained in the locals. I enjoy reading these books because of the glimpses in to life in another part of the world that they provide. This does just that as Michael goes from being a definite outsider to being ... moreacclimated to the area so that at one point he comments that he lost track of the fact that he was in China. He’s open about his struggles with the language and social norms, but also with the success he was able to have with getting the students to express their own thoughts instead of just repeating what was expected. The afterward was a nice closing as he had an opportunity to go back a few years later to visit. I personally didn’t find it as funny as some of the recommendations did, but I did enjoy it.
review 2: Well-written, and consistently entertaining. Levy is at his best when he's being funny. From the first few chapters, which were often hilarious, I expected this to be a 5. Then you can tell that the author started getting disillusioned about some aspects of his life in China. There are some profound moments, but his examinations of the flaws in Chinese culture don't really go anywhere, and the end kind of fizzles off. Still, I learned a lot, and I really enjoyed most of the book. less

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