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Chinese Lessons: Five Classmates and the Story of the New China
by
John Pomfret
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Intimate, revealing narratives of China's transformation.
"Chinese Lessons" offers a deeply personal glimpse into the lives altered by China's seismic shifts from Maoism to a burgeoning capitalist economy. John Pomfret's reconnection with his former classmates provides a textured tapestry of experiences that represent a broader Chinese narrative. Through their stories, you'll journey through painful histories and witness the resilience needed to navigate such profound change. Reading this provides a nuanced understanding that statistics and headlines simply can't convey.
- Ryszard Kapuściński Prize Nominee (2010)
- Kiriyama Prize Nominee for Nonfiction (2007)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.
Sale
Chinese Lessons: Five Classmates and the Story of the New China
by
John Pomfret
Regular price
$13.90
Now $9.90
Save 29%
Compare to estimated retail price: S$40.20
- Unit price
- / per
The item you've got your eye on is secondhand. You probably already know that, but just in case!
The estimated retail price shown next to any listed item represents the first-hand prices we've seen elsewhere, or the estimated original retail price of a comparable item of the same quality, construction and material offered elsewhere in new condition.
Save 26%
Save 28%
Save 31%
Save 29%
Condition guide
Book Condition Guide
Books in Like New Condition
This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!
*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.
Books in Very Good Condition
This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.
*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.
Books in Good Condition
We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.
*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.
Books in Well Read Condition
This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.
*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.
Find out more about our process here.
Quantity selected exceeds current stock
ISBN: 9780805076158
Authors:
John Pomfret
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Date of Publication: 2006-08-08
Format: Hardcover
Goodreads rating: 4.04
(rated by 1437 readers)
Description
As one of the first American students admitted to China after the communist revolution, John Pomfret was exposed to a country still emerging from the twin tragedies of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. Crammed into a dorm room with seven Chinese men, Pomfret contended with all manner of cultural differences, from too-short beds and roommates intent on glimpsing a white man naked, to the need for cloak-and-dagger efforts to conceal his relationships with Chinese women. Amidst all that, he immersed himself in the remarkable lives of his classmates. Beginning with Pomfret's first day in China, Chinese Lessons takes us down the often torturous paths that brought together the Nanjing University History Class of 1982: Old Wu's father was killed during the Cultural Revolution for the crime of being an intellectual; Book Idiot Zhou labored in the fields for years rather than agree to a Party-arranged marriage; and Little Guan was forced to publicly denounce and humiliate her father. As Pomfret follows his classmates from childhood to adulthood, he examines the effect of China's transition from near-feudal communism to first-world capitalism. The result is an illuminating report from present-day China, and a moving portrait of its extraordinary people.
Adding product to your cart
Intimate, revealing narratives of China's transformation.
"Chinese Lessons" offers a deeply personal glimpse into the lives altered by China's seismic shifts from Maoism to a burgeoning capitalist economy. John Pomfret's reconnection with his former classmates provides a textured tapestry of experiences that represent a broader Chinese narrative. Through their stories, you'll journey through painful histories and witness the resilience needed to navigate such profound change. Reading this provides a nuanced understanding that statistics and headlines simply can't convey.
- Ryszard Kapuściński Prize Nominee (2010)
- Kiriyama Prize Nominee for Nonfiction (2007)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.
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