He really has done it all
There's a joke that goes around the professional writers in China and their fans that no matter you're experiencing in China, Peter Hessler has already done it, and written extensively about it. Last year some time on twitter, one of the journalists tweeted about some odd situations which he had found himself. I don't remember precisely when or what happened, but there were some funny follow-up tweets from others in that Beijing-Shanghai journo community until someone posted a link to a New Yorker story by none other than Peter Hessler a few years before about the exact same thing. It was, of course, a fantastic read, and nailed down elements of the situation that the average person would have missed.
Right now Randy is reading River Town, Hessler's first published book about his early days in China as an English teacher with the Peace Corp. Funny that we've come to it last, but of the three Hessler books, this was the one that was furthest removed from our direct experiences. In some ways Country Driving (especially) and Oracle Bones have helped shape our understanding of our immediate world. Descriptions he uses, or background information he provides, or even metaphors he turns have validated our impressions, given us permission not to look for the best in everything, and steered us from believing the worst.
In one of the other two books, Hessler tells someone he is Catholic (and not "used to be" or "was raised"). I was surprised to see that admission, mostly because a majority of the unmarried Western men I've encountered in China (regardless of career) are happily irreligious and often smug atheists. It was unexpected, though I remember thinking to myself, well, it's not like he went to Mass while he lived in China. At least I have that experience that sets me apart from the Hessler's Been There thing that colors everything.
And then I was flipping through River Town and realized I was wrong about that. Hessler was a regular Mass-goer when he was living in Sichuan (at least in the chapter I was browsing).
It is true, then, that no matter what a person does in China, Hessler's done it and written about it, and stunningly at that. All aspiring writers should just take their Moleskines elsewhere. Fortunately, I am not shopping book deals, so I can just go about the business of living. I just thought it was funny that What They Say is really true.
Right now Randy is reading River Town, Hessler's first published book about his early days in China as an English teacher with the Peace Corp. Funny that we've come to it last, but of the three Hessler books, this was the one that was furthest removed from our direct experiences. In some ways Country Driving (especially) and Oracle Bones have helped shape our understanding of our immediate world. Descriptions he uses, or background information he provides, or even metaphors he turns have validated our impressions, given us permission not to look for the best in everything, and steered us from believing the worst.
In one of the other two books, Hessler tells someone he is Catholic (and not "used to be" or "was raised"). I was surprised to see that admission, mostly because a majority of the unmarried Western men I've encountered in China (regardless of career) are happily irreligious and often smug atheists. It was unexpected, though I remember thinking to myself, well, it's not like he went to Mass while he lived in China. At least I have that experience that sets me apart from the Hessler's Been There thing that colors everything.
And then I was flipping through River Town and realized I was wrong about that. Hessler was a regular Mass-goer when he was living in Sichuan (at least in the chapter I was browsing).
It is true, then, that no matter what a person does in China, Hessler's done it and written about it, and stunningly at that. All aspiring writers should just take their Moleskines elsewhere. Fortunately, I am not shopping book deals, so I can just go about the business of living. I just thought it was funny that What They Say is really true.
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