Reviews

Books

China in graphic detail

China Intercontinental Press has published the 2007 English edition of China in Diagrams, which provides readers with the latest information on the country.

Each of the 200 pages has a well-designed map, table or drawing to illustrate the country's political system, geology, natural resources, history and culture.

Foreign readers might find the parts about China's economic development the most eye-catching. The production of automobiles, for example, has soared from 222,000 in 1980 to 7.28 million in 2006. But the best parts of the book recording fast-changing events are chapters about social changes and people's lives.

The country's population will reach its peak - 1.45 billion, in 2030, which will be 107 million less than India. But the scale of the Chinese family is getting ever smaller: from 4.33 persons per family in 1953 to 3.13 in 2005.

While most information is dated last year, the book also contains up to date data. By June 30, 2007, Internet users had exceeded 162 million, from a mere 8.9 million in 2000. The number of computers linked with the Internet also grew from 3.5 million in 2000 to 67.1 million this July.

If foreign visitors worry about public hygiene while visiting rural areas, there's good news: Nearly 55 percent of rural families have been equipped with clean toilets. Six years ago, this was only 44.8 percent.

As China continues to draw more of the world's attention, this book is a useful tool to deepen one's understanding of the country, and perhaps clear away some misconceptions.

Liu Jun

Book focuses on our films

Chinese film is like a window on the Chinese people's existence, and a mirror that reflects their sorrows, joys and dreams.

The New Star Press has recently published China In the Movies (1978-2006), a handy reference book crammed with movie stills, posters, and themed analyses of Chinese movies made in the past 30 years.

Compiled by Zhong Dafeng and Li Ershi, film researchers with the Beijing Film Academy, the book is divided into 15 chapters and offers readers a glimpse into the psyche of Chinese people and its society by tackling topics such as the Chinese family, changes in rural China, urbanization, the "cultural revolution", Chinese women, children and the elderly, cooperation between filmmakers and actors from Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.

Zhu Linyong

Adventures of a voice coach

Edwin Maher started his China adventures in 2003. He first worked for the English service of China Radio International as a voice coach. Now he works for the English channel of China Central Television (CCTV-9), as news anchor and voice coach.

Maher has written numerous stories about his adventures in China and amusing encounters with Chinese from all walks of life. First published in China Daily, these stories have been published by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press as My China Daily (Zhao Bu Zhao Bei).

This collection of Maher's funny stories contains both the original English texts and Chinese translations by Zhang Lixin. Young cartoonist Luo Jie's creative wit has immensely enhanced the collection.

"Edwin Maher shares with us not only his experiences in his first years of work in China but also his humor and his unique perspective from 'Down Under'," comments Li Xing, a Beijing-based cultural critic.

ZLY

(China Daily 12/18/2007 page20)