Today, China is so important. We need to understand why this empire (it
is not a country) acts as it does. What are its intentions? This book is
not a political analysis, but simply a record of one westerner's
experiences teaching English in Chongqing. Nevertheless, being part of
the daily life of ordinary people has given rise to valuable insights.
Chongqing is a major city with some 17 million people: it is not a
backwater and was China's wartime capital. But it is important for
another reason. The popular mayor when the author began his time there
was Bo Xilai, a rival to Xi Jinping; his subsequent removal and
imprisonment says a lot.
The author's daily experiences were fascinating, a real privilege to
visit such interesting places and to meet so many wonderful people.
These should be shared, which is what this book does.