Burlington Public Library MA

Out of the Gobi, my story of China and America, Weijian Shan

eng

autobiography

illustrationsplatesmaps

index present

non fiction

Out of the Gobi

1057238379

Weijian Shan

my story of China and America

"Weijian Shan's Out of the Gobi is a powerful memoir and commentary that will be one of the most important books on China of our time, one with the potential to re-shape how Americans view China, and how the Chinese view life in America. Shan, a former hard laborer who is now one of Asia's best-known financiers, is thoughtful, observant, eloquent, and brutally honest, making him well-positioned to tell the story of a life that is a microcosm of modern China, and of how, improbably, that life became intertwined with America. Out of the Gobi draws a vivid picture of the raw human energy and the will to succeed against all odds. Shan only finished elementary school when Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution tore his country apart. He was a witness to the brutality and absurdity of Mao's policies during one of the most tumultuous eras in China's history. Exiled to the Gobi Desert at age 15 and denied schooling for 10 years, he endured untold hardships without ever giving up his dream for an education. Shan's improbable journey, from the Gobi to the "People's Republic of Berkeley" and far beyond, is a uniquely American success story - told with a splash of humor, deep insight and rich and engaging detail. This powerful and personal perspective on China and America will inform Americans' view of China, humanizing the country, while providing a rare view of America from the prism of a keen foreign observer who lived the American dream." -- Publisher's descriptionShan only finished elementary school when Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution tore his country apart. During one of the most tumultuous eras in China's history, he was exiled to the Gobi Desert at age 15 and denied schooling, enduring untold hardships without ever giving up his dream for an education. Here he tells of his journey from the Gobi to the "People's Republic of Berkeley" and far beyond-- with a splash of humor, deep insight and rich and engaging detail. -- adapted from publisher's info

Man-Made Famine -- School Cut Short -- Storm of Revolution -- Turmoil Under Heaven -- Exiled to the Gobi -- Digging for Potatoes -- War Is Coming -- Repairing the Earth -- Battling Frozen Lake -- The Longest Night -- Unforgettable Movie Night -- Barefoot Doctor -- Brickmaking the Ancient Way -- Petition to Mao -- Pigs Don't Fly -- Half the Sky -- Desert Dreams of College -- Last Convulsions of the Revolution -- Roads to Rome -- Old Gold Mountain -- The People's Republic of Berkeley -- Ivy League Professor