River Town

Peter Hessler

Peter Hessler went to China as a PeaceCorps volunteer in 1996 and stayed for two years teaching English in a small town called Fuling on the banks of the Yangtze River. As he puts it, "This isn't a book about China. It's about a certain small part of China at a certain brief period in time, and my hope has been to capture the richness of both the moment and the place." And capture it he does. The account starts upon his arrival in Fuling and ends as he leaves at the conclusion of his assignment. It is a wonderful account, as Hessler speaks honestly about his experiences in Fuling. We follow him as he struggles to adjust to the sudden immersion in a foreign culture, knowing little more than a few Chinese phrases. He is honest, not just in describing the people he encounters and the difficulties but also in acknowledging his own mistakes. Hessler is a perceptive observer and has a very good eye for picking out incidents and events and making them come alive for the reader. He brings a unique Westerner's perspective to Fuling life and he picks up on many Chinese cultural traits, describing them affectionately, without condescension. I recognised so many of these episodes and I laughed out loud so many times. Throughout the book, you see that Hessler grows to understand and love the people he teaches and the place he lives. What's more, he grows in understanding of himself and he is not afraid to acknowledge that. It was a very enjoyable book, I was never bored for a second and it was a real page turner for me. I loved that Hessler's account seemed so honest and empathetic not just of the people and places he encountered but also of himself.