Some things never change. I've posted this photo a couple times of my mom in the early 60s, walking on New York's Upper West Side, presumably to catch a cab to the airport.And it seems a propos to post it again, as she departs tonight for the Stans with a couple of friends. … [Read more...]
Book of the week–The Snakehead
Imagine this journey: Fuzhou-Hong Kong-Bangkok-Moscow-Havana-Managua-Tuscon. Or this: Fuzhou-Hong Kong-Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur-Singapore-Dubai-Frankfurt-Washingon.These aren't round-the-world leisure trips, but the dangerous routes orchestrated by snakeheads to bring illegal … [Read more...]
The curious cult of Chairman Mao
Can you imagine a souvenir industry centered around Hitler? Unfathomable. Or Stalin? No way. So how has Mao turned into such a cult, both in China and in the West? After all, his programs led to the deaths of 70 to 100 million of his own people (30 million alone during the Great … [Read more...]
Are luck and fortune the new tiger?
Several weeks ago I blogged about tiger-titled books. Since many of these books relate to Chinese culture, that got me thinking. Are there other common China-themed titles?The concept of luck and fortune is very important to Chinese culture, and certainly hasn't been lost in … [Read more...]
Book of the week–The Foremost Good Fortune
Last week I blogged about attending a book signing with Susan Conley, author of The Foremost Good Fortune (Knopf, 2011).It was so enjoyable to meet Conley and get my book signed. Time escaped me somehow, so I didn't finish her book until after her reading.But it was well … [Read more...]
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