Publisher: Plume
China A to Z is a great little cultural encyclopedia for
those of us who may be a bit intimidated by travel to China. Addressing
everything from popular scandals to how the Chinese view interracial
relationships (especially interesting to me as my daughter is half Chinese),
this is a very worthy snapshot of modern day Chinese Culture.
Separated into categories, it's easy to skip to the
categories that most interest you, but each entry is worth reading. Not only do
you learn about things like the types of food you may be served, but why they
may serve it to you, and how to avoid eating certain things while still
remaining sensitive to the needs of your Chinese hosts.
Although the book is honest about some of the negatives about Chinese culture (i.e. the treatment of some of their ethnic minorities), the overall impression is of a country of warm, friendly people who have a real curiosity about non-Chinese.
The book made me want to travel to China and when I
eventually do get there, I'll definitely use this as a reference!
*ARC Provided by Netgalley for review purposes.
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