If you are looking for downtime reading, here are a few of my favorite, most enjoyable nonfiction choices from my reviews for Zócalo Public Square:
Tag Archives: China
Weekend Reading
Posted in China, Korea, world Also tagged Asia, books, Demick, Korea, nonfiction choices, North Korea, Peter Hessler, Zócalo Leave a comment
Upcoming Events
While I am working on, well, all the different things I am working on, I am excited to be a part of two upcoming events in Southern California. One is a UCLA Extension writing seminar, “Writing in the Digital Age” on May 8. On June 7, I’ll be in conversation with Ian Johnson at UC Irvine, an event hosted by The China Beat, about his new book on the Muslim Brotherhood and his work in China.
Here’s the published blurbs about these events, but let me know if you want more information or if you have thoughts about what we should cover:
Posted in California, China Also tagged California, digital revolution, Internet, Muslim, muslim brotherhood, the china beat, uc irvine, ucla extension Leave a comment
Writing is Rewarding
One of the best feelings I have as a writer is when something I’ve worked on sparks a conversation I could have never even imagined. That’s why I was so thrilled to find this post at the China Beat:
Learning from Lai Changxing?
Last year, Angilee Shah wrote a review at China Beat of Oliver August’s Inside the Red Mansion. The review inspired Simon Fraser University Professor Jeremy Brown to assign the text to a class and he recently invited the book’s protaganist, Lai Changxing, to join his class for a day. Brown and one of his students provide an account of the day’s visit below…
I enjoy writing book reviews, but it never occurred to me that readers might take any action other than a trip to their local library or bookstore. It certainly never occurred to me that Lai might agree to being questioned by a classroom full of students. I only wish I could have been there. Read more on Writing is Rewarding…
Posted in Canada, China Also tagged book reviews, lai changxing, oliver august, Simon Fraser, simon fraser university, the china beat Leave a comment
This Week: Follow-ups to terrorist attacks in India and the earthquake in China, perspectives on Iraq and North Korea
I’m starting a weekly post that rehashes some of the most interesting and unusual reports on Asia (in English) and the world. Let me know what you think, and if you find this kind of feature useful. For more interesting things on the web, from newspapers and blogs, see my shared stories page.
Posted in Asia, China, India, United States Also tagged BBC, broadcast, Christian Science, current tv, Demick, earthquake, Emily Wax, India, Iraq, los angeles times, news, North Korea, Pyongyang, Sichuan, terror, terrorist attacks in india, Vietnam, washington post Leave a comment
good feelings and the Olympics
After visiting grand Shanghai and glittering Chongqing, it was in a taxi in Dongguan that my view of China took a small, but important shift. I was traveling with a friend to the South China Mall, down the main road that stretches from the city’s train station all the way out to the suburbs. It was Olympics time, but we were a far cry from Beijing’s impressive Bird’s Nest.
Read more on good feelings and the Olympics…
Posted in Asia, California, China, United States Also tagged Anka Lee, dongguan, largest shopping mall, stanley rosen, the china beat, Tiananmen Square Leave a comment
The best reporting on the Sichuan Earthquake you’ll never see
When I was at the Pusan International Film Festival in Korea, I went to a hotel on the beach to meet a documentary filmmaker from Beijing. I was very impressed by his film, Who Killed Our Children.
Read more on The best reporting on the Sichuan Earthquake you’ll never see…
Posted in China, Korea Also tagged documentary, documentary film, earthquake, Pan Jianlin, Pusan, pusan international film festival, Sichuan, the china beat, usc Leave a comment
Two Guangzhou Neighborhoods
In the last days of the Olympics, neighbors in Sanyuanli and residents of the Clifford Estates left their televisions on so that the final matches and last medal ceremonies set the backdrops of their daily lives.
Read more on Two Guangzhou Neighborhoods…
Posted in China Also tagged Anka Lee, Clifford Estates, Flickr, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Jacky Peng, Neighborhoods, opium war, sanyuanli, slideshow 1 Comment
Orientalism or chinoiserie?
Marketing material for the 1926 Milan premeire of Turandot on the left, and for the 2008 Singapore staging on the right.
Like most people, I don’t know where I first heard the famous aria Nessun Dorma of Puccini’s Turandot. But my interest in the opera has certainly been revived several times recently.
Read more on Orientalism or chinoiserie?…
Posted in China, Singapore Also tagged 2006 torino olympics, Hong Kong, lyric opera, nessun dorma, podcast, puccini, Singapore 2 Comments
beautiful things
I went to China. It was a fantastic and eye opening trip. I took some photos and wrote a bit — will share that soon.
For now — I can’t help but echo the crowd about the Democratic National Convention. I had missed the Hillary Clinton who spoke on Tuesday, the woman who was a leader not because she’s a woman and certainly not in spite of being a woman. And Al Gore gave my second favorite speech I’ve heard him give — the first is on Ted.com. But I’m no political junkie, so I’ll comment more on what I know — online journalism.
Read more on beautiful things…
Posted in China, United States Also tagged Al Gore, Clinton, hillary clinton, journalism, website Comments closed
Olympics+
I’ve been having a lot of conversations with people lately about how the world is covering the Olympics. Along with the palpable excitement and pride on the part of Chinese people, and intrigue and appreciation on the part of folks from other parts of the world, there is a lot of frustration out there.
Posted in China Also tagged Anka Lee, beijing, conflict, Daniel Lynch, far eastern economic review, ioc, NBC, olympics, organizing committee, western bias Leave a comment
