John Pomfret
Does the saying “loyal advice jars on the ears” still hold true today?
a blog about travel literature
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?