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Zusatztext "His humorous and witty memoir, replete with satirical but good-natured comments about Presbyterian missionaries, consists of various short essays, most of which originally appeared in whole or in part in Harper's and The New Yorke r. These piecemeal biographical sketches, produced over a span of 50 years, are grouped together according to a clear chronological time frame, within a definite geocultural setting, and with a central thematic concern. Taken as a whole, they offer an insightful and charming undocumented history of China at the beginning of the century, revealed through the eyes of a boy. Highly recommended for all libraries." Informationen zum Autor John Espey (1913–2000) was a novelist, memoirist and literary scholar, and Professor Emeritus of English at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1990, Espey's Strong Drink, Strong Language received a nomination for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Klappentext "John Espey writes of his boyhood days in China with irony and slicing wit, a sort of Tom Sawyer and the missionaries, compassionate and yet honestly critical, and always mindful of the ways that human nature both undermines and uplifts us."—Amy Tan "These memoirs are fascinating and entertaining, but the reader should be warned: Look out! If you read this book you will fall in love with the author."—Ursula K. Le Guin "Surely Espey must be the only writer in the world who could produce high comedy about Presbyterian missionaries without in any way jeering at their sense of dedication."—Robertson Davies "Timelessly charming, John Espey is as witty as he is wise. And what a joy to hear his urbane and infinitely civilized voice."—Alice Adams "Written with grace and infused with understated insight. . . . a leisurely journey to a time and place accessible only through the careful memory of a uniquely qualified and generous guide."—Michael Dorris "These delightful classics seem especially fresh and meaningful today, perhaps even more than when they were published. Drawn with exceptional charm and acuity, they picture the intersection of two cultures—those of the Chinese, and the missionary parents, from the point of view of the lively children caught between, who could see and question what was good and bad in each, rather as today we sense the problems in our own worlds, and the things we have to learn from the East."—Diane Johnson Zusammenfassung An American boy, son of Presbyterian missionaries, was born in Shanghai. The boy lived two lives, one within the pious church compound, the other along the canal and in the alleys of a traditional Chinese city. And when John Espey grew up, he wrote about his years in China. This memoir presents the story of those years....
