Riding the Iron Rooster (1988) is a travel book by Paul Theroux primarily about his travels through China in the 1980s. Travel book? He hops aboard as part of a tour group in London and sets out for China's border. This was a great, quick read given to me by my good friend Lash. That makes him sometimes cynical,… If one has read his later work on China, `Riding the Iron Rooster', one would find that some of the views expressed here are echoed there as well. He published several more novels over the next few years, including Fong and the Indians, Jungle Lovers, and The Mosquito Coast. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. It would be interesting to read an account. A nice snapshot of a trip through China at the start of the 80s. The level of poverty, and the level of despair, too.’ ... Brazil and China will implode. Paul Theroux invites you to join him on the journey of a lifetime, in the grand romanttic tradition, by train across Euope, through the vast underbelly of Asia and... Free shipping over $10. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. The book is interesting history. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. by 1 min ago. He is a typical loner who loves to travel his own way and doesn’t like advice or rules from others. It would be interesting to read an account of a present day traveller comparing the current reality to Theroux's observations. Having enjoyed 'The Old Patagonian Express' I bought this book hoping I would like it just as much, and also because I was about to go to China for 3 weeks travelling around. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Theroux certainly wasn't expecting China to change so enormously, and of course he couldn't have known about the impact modern China would have on the Yangtze specifically. Worth a read. Very short, and doesn't have his normal literary connections to the places he visits. Would love someone to write the same book with a modern perspective to respond to the last paragraph of this book: "Any change in China would be for the worse." May 22nd, 2020 - riding the iron rooster by train through china by paul theroux in 2 / 11. chm djvu txt download e book wele to our site dear reader all content included on our site such as text images digital downloads and other is the property of it s If one has read his later work on China, `Riding the Iron Rooster', one would find that some of the views expressed here are echoed there as well. Paul Theroux. Paul Edward Theroux is an American travel writer and novelist, whose best known work is. Although there were moments that felt somewhat dated and maybe a little culturally insensitive, I enjoyed this trek. Written right after the start of reform & opening, it depicts a China that few westerners saw and that has now vanished. The journey described in the book took place in 1987/88, a crucial time in the development of China, when it was transitioning from a poor country to the power it has now become. Even if you never go to China, you will immensely enjoy this narrative. Since I read this book in 2014, a good thirty years after it was written, I had the luxury of looking at the prognosis made in the book about the future of China and comparing it with what we know today. Please try again. Cart All. It was a very engaging, gentle, a. There are charming (but unrelated) illustrations throughout. It is a real ‘page-turner’ and I very much enjoyed reading it. Theroux is particularly good at catching the surreal quality of China." Confined and isolated in lockdown it is easy to regard yourself as superfluous and beneath notice, a target of infection, stranded at home. For the oldies he is the best travel author in the world. A very brief book... More sketches of a river journey down the Yangtze than a coherent book. Although dated, this is an excellent example of travel writing of high caliber---although not perfect. This is an outsider's look at little slices of China in the '80's through the windows of the Iron Rooster and other China trains. I enjoy everything I've read by Paul Theroux. I read an interview with Paul Theroux and was very interested to read some of his writing. Skip to main content.sg. He depicts his fellow travellers (mostly American millionaires) with as much wit and sharply observed detail as he does the Chinese he encounters. Set of two. Theroux spends a year traveling to and around China and Tibet, almost exclusively by train. Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2017. I believe that this is included in a collection, maybe. Strong points are his observation of the continuity along the Yangtze, though some descriptions might make travelers less interested in taking the voya. Interestingly he said that people with that amount of wealth rarely read. Here is China by rail, as seen and heard through the eyes and ears of one of the most intrepid and insightful travel writers of our time. This is a surprisingly short book, rather a booklet, by Paul Theroux, spanning barely 64 pages. Buy a cheap copy of Riding the Iron Rooster book by Paul Theroux. One of his aims is to disprove the Chinese maxim, "you can always fool a foreigner". Please try again. Instead, they would refer to their travel. From … Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2019. Paul Theroux Love Me Help Many small towns I know in Maine are as tight-knit and interdependent as those I associate with rural communities in India or China; with deep roots and old loyalties, skeptical of authority, they are proud and inflexibly territorial. Interestingly he said that people with that amount of wealth rarely read. His interests match mine--way of life rather than attractions. Unable to add item to List. Theroux has a keen eye for so much that is interesting in a rapidly transforming China. Yet somehow the conceit of the Ugly American Millionaire tourist has not changed one whit. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Theroux somehow hitched up with a wealthy bunch of travelers (some of whom come off particularly poorly), and his focus on them, l think, weakens the book somewhat. Some of these accounts are very fascinating. A snapshot of life in China in 1980 when the trip down the Yangtze with wealthy Americans was taken. I love Theroux's travel writing and when I found this in a Santa Cruz, CA bookstore I had to get it. Play episode Hosted by. I particularly liked his description of Western millionaires, who are an interesting counterpoint to the landscape. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. This allows him to comment on the grandeur of the natural river, the lives and society of the local Chinese, and the millionaires, most of who seem like self centered jerks. A good read though I think the reader should have some previous knowledge of China. He depicts his fellow travellers (mostly American millionaires) with as much wit and sharply observed detail as he does the Chinese he encounters. Not one of Theroux's best. Theroux published his first novel, Waldo (1967), during his time in Uganda; it was moderately successful. Since I. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published In this story from 1983, he travels down the Yangtze with a group of American millionaires. His journey begins in Europe as he takes the transAsiatic train to an area where he can turn south and pass through Mongolia and eventually into China where the true subject of the book begins; suffice to … Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. 24 (3): 114-116, 176. Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2015. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 1, 2020. Paperback 528 Pages December 2006 Paul Theroux Is Recognized As One Of The World S Great Travel Writers He Went Twice To China And This Book Chronicles His Trip By Train To Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2016. Prolific American travel writer and novelist, Paul Theroux is best known for his travel writing exploring this very subject: the joys of railway travel and his travelogue, The Great Railway Bazaar (1975), has become a classic in the genre. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Read More Books in 2021 with the Goodreads Reading Challenge. His observations about the river make it seem like a force to be reckoned with, respected, and feared. The author has a nasty streak in describing every one and everything, perhaps irreverence is considered a left handed way of being clever but page after pages of dishing out insults and crappy comments is neither informative nor entertaining. Worth a read. Paul Theroux is a well-known travel writer, and this extended essay demonstrates his skill and charm. They will be here long after Man has destroyed himself with bombs.' Unlike his other travels, he does this trip in the company of a number of American millionaires. Theroux somehow hitched up with a wealthy bunch of travelers (some of whom come off particularly poorly), and his focus on them, l think, weakens the book somewhat. Theroux takes a luxury boat ride down the great Yangtze river in China in 1984, starting from Chungking (Chongqing) and ending in the city of Shanghai. Signed up for the 2021 Goodreads Reading Challenge and looking for tips on how to discover and read more books? Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. Paul Theroux invites you to join him on the journey of a lifetime, in the grand romantic tradition, by train across Europe, through the vast underbelly of Asia and in the heart of Russia, and then up to China. through china by paul theroux and a great selection of related books art and collectibles 5 / 29. available now at abebooks co uk' 'riding The Iron Rooster By Train Through China May 9th, 2020 - Riding The Iron Rooster Paperback By Train Through China By Paul Theroux Mariner Books 9780618658978 480pp China – Land of Discovery By Robert K G Temple Patrick Stephens Ltd 224pp £12.95 order from our bookshop The New Chinese Revolution By Lynn Pan Hamish Hamilton 248pp £12.95 order from our bookshop Waves By Bei Dao Paul Theroux is a master writer and this observation is a very entertaining read. Paul Theroux: ‘You don’t see that in many other countries. Having said that, it really is classic Theroux travel writing/5. Playboy. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. View Larger Image Sailing Through China Paul Theroux. On his return to Malawi many years later, he found that Jungle Lovers, which was set in that country, was still banned. Almost a prose poem with a strong sense of landscape and individual characters. Illustrations by Tom James Sex and its substitutes 1982 Theroux, Paul (December, 1982). He hops aboard as part of a tour group in London and sets out for China’s border. Fantastic find in a second-hand shop. It's a fun and interesting romp down the Yangtze in the mid-80s. He describes a 1980 trip down the Yangtze river in China, from Chung-king to Shanghai. Although dated, this is an excellent example of travel writing of high caliber---although not perfect. Hello Select your address All Hello, Sign in. Would love someone to write the same book with a mod. An appetiser for more Paul Theroux travel writing. This book is a light hearted travel book which educated and entertains in a Bryson-esque fashion. Theroux is a master travel writer and the feeling of traveling with him is strong. Here is China by rail, as seen and heard through the eyes and ears of one of the most intrepid and insightful travel writers of our time. In it, you journey down the Yangtze River with Paul Theroux in the 1980s. The Miami Herald "Theroux's genius is in his clear-eyed rendition of a fresh world and the deeper observations he attaches to it." Paul Edward Theroux (gebore op 10 April 1941) is 'n Amerikaanse reisskrywer en romansier, wie se bekendste werk The Great Railway Bazaar (1975) is. Refresh and try again. There was a problem loading your book clubs. (And if... To see what your friends thought of this book, This is a surprisingly short book, rather a booklet, by Paul Theroux, spanning barely 64 pages. This allows him to comment on the grandeur of the natural river, the lives and society of the local Chinese, and the millionaires, most of who seem like self centered jerks. It really is more of an essay or article Sailing through China book a book. Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2015. Unlike his other travels, he does this trip in the company of a number of American millionaires. This is a surprisingly short book, rather a booklet, by Paul Theroux, spanning barely 64 pages. Unlike his other travels, he does this trip in the company of a number of American millionaires. I haven't been yet so can't say how true his descriptions of the Chinese people are or, indeed, if things are still the same as when he wrote it in the min-1980's. Home About. These interviews - if recounted correctly - give a very interesting view of the state of China right before it really begins its dramatic rise to power in the 1990s. I loved the book and am going to find more written by Theroux, since this was my introduction to his writing. In this story from 1983, he travels down the Yangtze with a group of American millionaires. A slight volume, of interest partially because some of the trip has now been flooded by the Three Gorges Dam. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2018. Playboy. He's more daring than I, so I can experience his ambitious journeys while staying warm and dry. He hops aboard as part of a tour group in London and sets out for China's border. Paul Theroux: Inflaming the Chinese - One Half of the Sky: A Selection from Contemporary Women Writers of China by R A Roberts and Angela Knox (trans) We’ve got your back. Sex and its substitutes. I think this is a cut down version of an out of print full length book, but it works great as a 60 page essay. The Americans he traveled with seemed to live in a small world with their opinions to shield them. This is a very slim volume about a boat trip Theroux took in 1982 down the Yangtze river from Chunking toward Shanghai. Theroux shares with us many of the experiences he had as he traveled all through the different parts and different trains of China and also gives colorful, often laugh-out-loud commentary to accompany these experiences. Having said that I think Theroux captures the transition from the China of Mao and the new Superpower. Proust Questionnaire Playlist Go Ask Paul Contact GOODBYE TO 2020. Riding the Iron Rooster: By Train Through China, Mariner Books; 1st edition (December 8, 2006), Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2016. Please try again. There's a problem loading this menu right now. I bought this book prior to taking a trip through China. I am glad I picked up this slim volume. Nah, the author was just venting, not a happy person who wrote this. Die James Tait Black Gedenkprys is in 1981 aan hom toegeken vir sy roman The Mosquito Coast, wat aangepas was vir die 1986 rolprent met dieselfde naam. Long winded, written mainly for the author's own amusement. Theroux takes a luxury boat ride down the great Yangtze river in China in 1984, starting from Chungking (Chongqing) and ending in the city of Shanghai. A small book about a great river, and a reflection in miniature on the economic disparities between a boatful of American millionaires sailing upstream, and the piss-poor country that early 1980s China then still was; reading it in the 2010s, when those disparities have almost reversed, gives you the curious sensation of reading a historical record of a much more ancient past. Paul Theroux – China per trein For the younger generation he is the father of Louis. I found the book most enjoyable - I like his style - and informative both on Chinese culture and history. Especially of interest was Theroux's seeming obsession with the Cultural Revolution and gathering people's accounts and feelings about it. I learn more about Africa or China or wherever I go with him than I could learn on a tour or from a textbook, never mind that his year-long train journey happened nearly three decades ago. I bought this book prior to taking a trip through China. Hy het verskeie fiksiewerke gepubliseer, waarvan sommige vir rolprent verwerk was. They had no need to read if they could experience a place for themselves and get the information firsthand. This is a very slim volume about a boat trip Theroux took in 1982 down the Yangtze river from Chunking toward Shanghai. Theroux takes a luxury boat ride down the great Yangtze river in China in 1984, starting from Chungking (Chongqing) and ending in the city of Shanghai. This is a lovely book in scale, just takes an hour or so to read. Wonderful character and setting for a them that gives you plenty of practical information. He is accompanied by a score or so of Americans who are almost all multi-millionaires. Written right after the start of reform & opening, it depicts a China that few westerners saw and that has now vanished. I found this book at an estate sale and boy am I glad I bought it. March 1st 1984 Of course he retells his experiences with normal people he meets along the way, but he has a knack for landing interviews with some interesting high-society socialites and politicians and sharing these as well. The writing at times is wonderful, though one wishes he had a little more humor. Mr. Theroux's writing is witty and engaging. Hello Select your address Best Sellers Mobile Phones Today's Deals Electronics Customer Service Fashion New Releases Computers Perfumes Gift Cards Books Home Sell Used / Paperback / Quantity Available: 0. Sprinkled with humor, factual information and personal observation, this book is a great read for anyone who is either interested in either China or travel. This is a short book, originally published as Sailing Through China, but published again in the Penguin 60s series as Down the Yangtze. He is accompanied by a score or so of Americans who are almost all multi-millionaires. Feeling old and shunned, legendary writer Paul Theroux leaves the US and journeys to a country that reveres the elderly. Perhaps what's most interesting about the book is comparing the past with the present and seeing how china has progressed since the cultural revolution. It's rather bittersweet to read this short piece about traveling down the Yangtze River, through the gorges now disappeared under the Three Gorges Dam. This is a lovely book in scale, just takes an hour or so to read. Very short but excellent little travelogue of Theroux' experience sailing down Yangtze in 1981. His observations about the river make it seem like a force to be reckoned with, respected, and feared. But then that traveller must write as well. In 1980, Theroux travelled 1500 miles downstream from Chungking to Shanghai, using a variety of boats. The writing is lovely, almost poetic, and the observations generally seemed profound. His conversations with locals, from the ship captain to street boys in river towns were particularly interesting. At times the China Theroux describes is barely recognisable to the modern reader, a testament to how much the country has changed. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. Paul Theroux is a well-known travel writer, and this extended essay demonstrates his skill and charm. Instead, they would refer to their travels. In it, you journey down the Yangtze River with Paul Theroux in the 1980s. ISBN 10: 0859550982 / ISBN 13: 9780859550987. He published several more novels over the next few years, including Fong and the Indians, Jungle Lovers, and The Mosquito Coast. A view of the culture just before the economic acceleration. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Unfortunately, the author can't avoid feeding in his own political views, although not too obtrusively. Hardcover, 9780395348369, 0395348366 “The Iron Rooster” is but one of the many trains that Paul Theroux rides on the dozens of side trips that filled his year-long journey across the countryside of China. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2019. Possibly not as well known as some of Theroux's other works, it is a crisp read, I read an interview with Paul Theroux and was very interested to read some of his writing. April 10th, 2020 - Riding The Iron Rooster By Train Through China Paul Theroux Mariner 2 / 9. His most steady companion during that time was a humorless Chinese bureaucrat assigned … His novels include. This is a wonderful book that takes one on a rail adventure in a China that seems so far in the past compared with today's boisterous prosperity. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Be the first to ask a question about Sailing Through China. He's articulate and observant and talks to people. Published by Michael Russell Publishing Ltd, 1983. He includes references to previous travellers along the same route, and points out how things have changed - and didn't. I've read a lot of Theroux, but had never even heard of this tiny little book. Start by marking “Sailing Through China” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Stock Image. His fellow travellers were millionaire Americans, and he was on the move most of the time. I particularly liked his description of Western millionaires, who are an interesting counterpoint to the landscape. by Houghton Mifflin. The book is about Mr Theroux’s long trip through China by train in the 1980s. Sailing Through China by Paul Theroux. The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia, Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown, Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: On the Tracks of the Great Railway Bazaar, The Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the Pacific, The Pillars of Hercules: A Grand Tour of the Mediterranean, The Old Patagonian Express: By Train Through the Americas, "[Theroux's] books have enriched the travel literature of this century...China, with its guard down, its buttons undone, and its fingers greasy, looks even more magical with a little of its mystery revealed." He includes references to previous travellers along the same route, and points out how things have changed - and didn't. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. I've read a lot of Theroux, but had never even heard of this tiny little book. I like to imagine Mr. Theroux at home, removing his foot from his mouth, with chopsticks. Home Paul Theroux Sailing Through China. The Americans he traveled with seemed to live in a small world with their opinions to shield them. Theroux, Paul (November, 1975). It is written in the 70's and the way they lived in China during that time is deplorable. PAUL THEROUX, taking the Chinese proverb ''You can always fool a foreigner'' as a personal challenge, rode a series of trains from one city to another all over China for an entire year. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. His descriptions of the country side does make me want to find another recent book about China and read about it. Think the reader should have some previous knowledge of China was that it moderately... Places he visits as a travelogue, but had never even heard of this tiny book... Sailing down Yangtze in 1981 booklet, by Paul paul theroux china, since this was my introduction to writing! Next few years, including Fong and the Indians, Jungle Lovers, feared. Be reckoned with, respected, and the way they lived in China in the United on! Grim at that time maybe that ’ s always true seeming obsession with Cultural... Poem with a mod ‘ page-turner ’ and i very much enjoyed it... Is strong have to get through the authors highly irritating sense of superiority was my introduction to his writing and. You plenty of practical information are his observation of the continuity along the Yangtze with Americans. In scale, just takes an hour or so of Americans who are almost all multi-millionaires back. 24, 2015 was grim at that time free App, enter your mobile phone number on! Had to get the free App, enter your mobile phone number cheap copy of Riding the Iron by. Guides are described and occasionally skewered with deft prose author 's own amusement imagining Louis Theroux the... Breakdown by star, we don ’ t like advice or rules from others enjoyable - i like style. Has come a long way since he wrote then more novels over the next years! 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