Is this just a Chinese stream of consciousness or is it an overlooked gem?

Does it make sense to refer to this author as the godfather of travel writing?

Why is it often better for a writer to not put things into perspective?

Did something go wrong when a book needs an author's note to explain itself?

What happens to a story when the writer gets caught up in old books and theories?

Does this book only exist because the author is fabulously rich?

Is this a coffee table book or a regular travelogue, and is it worth a read?

If some of the superlatives and comparisons used in this book are lame, why is it still so good?

How could a book about an adventure like this turn out to be so boring?

Does the expat experience really keep people from growing old?

Could this book have been better if the writer wasn't a diplomat?

Are these just some minor slip-ups or was this writer completely duped?

Did the quest for scientific precision ruin this book?

If this book isn't badly written, then why is it still bad?

Does this book do anything right except expose someone's attitude toward China?

Why is it important that young people from China read this today?

Why is this book so tragic, and what is the author's role in the history he helped to create?

What does 1930s China look like through the eyes of a European socialist?

What happens when an interesting author tries too hard to get his point across?

Is this guy the original Karate Kid, and why is his book so weak?

Does the Chinese literary world need to train tougher editors?

What happens when rich Europeans visit China at the height of the "Cultural Revolution"?

Is there a more interesting account of life in the Ming Dynasty?

Can we really read about warfare as if it was just an adventure?

Why was this book about an interesting journey so slow?

Does the saying "loyal advice jars on the ears" still hold true today?

Why did such an interesting adventure turn into such an uneven book?

Is this book still banned in China, and if so, does that make it better?

Did he have to try this hard to show that he's a fanboy?

Was this the most educated of all 19th-century explorers?

Can this book be interesting to anyone except China-enthusiasts?

What happens when you inject a ton of ideology into an account of an adventure?

Did this guy just hate China or did he want to show how much can you brown nose a dictator?

Could this adventure story have been edited into a good book?

Is China absurd, or does absurdity reside in those who are always looking for it?

Where exactly is the dividing line between the cultural expert and the ignorant visitor?

If someone knows China so well, how can they fail to write a decent book about it?

If this is partly fabricated, why is it still so good?

Why is this book so much better than the one written by the travel partner?

What is it that's weighing down this great adventure story?

Why does esotericism so often go hand in hand with ignorance?

Who better to tell stories about China than the Emperor's tutor?

Is this book just about a physical feat, or is there something more to it?

Why is this book only for those who are really into environmentalism?

Is this just an epic journey through China, or does this writer also have mad skills?

How could an awesome feat have turned into an uninspiring book?

Has classic European explorer lingo turned this woman into a macho?

Was it naive to hope for peace with the Khan?

Is there too much geology in this otherwise entertaining book?

Is this another author who distances himself from his story?

What happens to people and their towns when the water is about to come?

What were German readers looking for in a travel book after World War II?

How is it possible that 750 years don't seem to leave a trace?

Why is this writer at his best when he doesn't try to be a journalist?

Is this an effort in soul searching or rather a classic work about China?

Does true poetry only flourish in the depths of the wilderness?

Was this a 14th-century fact finding mission or just another medieval mystery tale?

Is this book more about contemplation or more about adventure?

Is this guy a missionary or is he really a spy?

Did the best mountaineer ever write the best book about mountaineering ever?

Why is it so much fun to read Medieval travel stories that are at least partly untrue?

Are we looking at a career-obsessed explorer or at a blueprint for Indiana Jones?

Are the errors in this book due to poor editing or is this an expert who doesn't know his craft?

Are these travel memoirs worth reading, or has censorship ruined them?

Is China really that quirky, or do we sometimes just want things to be a certain way?

Did conservative ethics turn this great adventure story into such a slow read?

Is this just a book about three ladies taking it slow, or is it an epic adventure?

Is this too much racism even for an imperialist?

If Fleming is the more gifted writer, then why is this book better than his?

Would a little less irony have made this book even better?

If this is one of the classics of Portuguese literature, why is it such a slow read?

Why is this missionary's tale still so refreshing?

Why is this one still so good today, even though a lot of it is untrue?