It’s road-tripping time again! This year I’m meeting up with a former teammate from China (the indomitable Amy) in Wyoming for some much-needed R&R in the mountains outside of Yellowstone. We’ve had some crazy adventures together in Asia over the years (beach vacations in Thailand, a Thanksgiving in Hangzhou, and a train ride to Mongolia, […]
Best Books of 2021
I set a goal of reading 50 books this year; unfortunately, I have fallen short. Never mind. I’m not an overly competitive person (even against myself), so don’t feel like a failure for having knocked off 34 books. These are the best ones I read this year: Anxious People: A Novel, by Fredrik Backman A […]
Farewell, Jonathan Spence
I was saddened to read this morning of the death of Jonathan Spence, Yale professor and author of some of my favorite books about Chinese history. Like so many others, I was introduced to the world of Chinese history by his book The Search for Modern China, published in 1991. During my stint in China […]
North Shore Reading
It’s time for the annual trip to the north shore of Lake Superior for the Thanksgiving weekend. This will be year #11. I’m looking forward to a few days of hiking, enjoying the scenery, eating, and reading. As usual, I find myself behind on my goal of reading 50 books in the year, so this […]
Riding a Flying Pigeon
Those of you who have lived in China, especially “back in the day,” may remember the venerable Flying Pigeon bicycles. You know, the ones that were huge, built like a Mack truck, and functioned as local pick-up trucks. Maybe you even rode one. I still have vivid images in my mind of tall teammates riding […]
Favorite Books of 2020
Once again this year, I set a goal of reading 50 books. With just a few more days to go, I should be able to reach it. Some books were more memorable than others, of course. Herewith, then, is the list of my ten favorites (in alphabetical order): American Nations: A History of the Eleven […]
