Sorry about that, says Peter Hessler

After writing about how Peter Hessler ruined my China life, I had the fortune to receive a message from Hessler, who was gracious enough to see the humor in my article (in yesterday's hotpot) and give sage advice to aspiring writers:

My sister sent me a link to your article about how I ruined your life. Sorry about that I definitely appreciated and enjoyed the humor. People aren't always so good-natured about it, that's for sure.

It's a funny phenomenon, and one that I remember when I first came to China. There were certain books that everybody read, and the longer you lived there, the more you might be inclined to resent them. It's a natural reaction in a place like China, where you're constantly learning and discovering. It's a very personal process, very intense, and a sense of ownership develops.