Travel to China

Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China's Past and Present

Format: Hardcover
Author: Peter Hessler
ReleaseDate: 25 April, 2006
Publisher: HarperCollins
Rating:

Excellent analysis of past and present
Reading Peter Hessler's "Rivertown", just before I had left for China were extremely helpful to get my first glimpse of Chinese culture and educational system, even it was more about a rural town along Yangtze river. In 2004 I spent a semester in Beijing teaching American culture and politics at a university. So I was delighted to see Mr. Hessler's second book came out before I return to Beijing in mid 2006. His excavation of the past, with archeological, historical, and political observations blends very well with the personal stories that he writes about the people that he met in his expatriot life in Beijing. Especially armed with the language this time around Hessler had much easier time to travel around and interact with the ordinary people (something that I found it almost impossible to do without the language skills) It is also commandble that among so many books about the country and its people Peter Hessler's Oracle Bones sticks out as one of the best capturing the human dimension of the most remarkable story of our times. I wander during his hunt for artifacts if Mr. Hessler came across the story of lost fossils of Peking Man. An ongoing excavation of the Peking Man site is actually located just 45 minutes southwest of Beijing at Zhoukoudian with a wonderful museum and 200 pieces of Peking Man fossils (representing around 40 individuals), over 10. 000 stone artifacts, several layers of ash as evidence of fire use, and more than 100 specimen of fossil animals. "Oracle Bones", in my opinion, is much more elaborate and interesting analysis, than "Rivertown", of Chinese culture, past and present, culminating historical, anthropological and political endevours. The personal observations and journals of the real people also adds to the mystery of an archeologist's demise. I look forward to more works from the author.

Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China's Past and Present
As a past student of Chinese history at Wellesley College who has studied in China, a photographer who has traveled extensively in China and a photo researcher who worked with John King Fairbank at Harvard, I strongly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in China and particularly to anyone considering a trip to China.

History in the making
Peter Hessler's writing style draws you into China and challenges you to learn more. Oracle Bones is a compelling novel with two major threads; the current exodus of young Chinese from the country into industrial/population centers and much of the history responsible for shaping current conditions and culture. He writes from the gut and bars no holds. The characters he weaves into both the modern and historical threads are genuine and intriquing. Hessler incorporates very recent American Government contact and influence into the story which explains much of the views held by Chinese citizens. Being that we are still under the same administration described toward the end of the book, it is all the more interesting and somewhat frightening. China will be A, if not THE major player in the world ecomomy and this book should be required reading for anyone who wants to keep up.

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	River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze (P.S.)
	The River at the Center of the World: A Journey Up the Yangtze, and Back in Chinese Time