WHO ARE THE CHINESE? Through on-the-ground interviews, journalist Ana Fuentes uncovered the real China and offers a panoramic look at Chinese culture from the point of view of its citizens. She spent nearly four years living and working in China and discovered a world few have written about…until now.
FROM THE DRAGON’S MOUTH: Ten True Stories that Unveil the Real China ( C.A Press /Penguin Group; April 17, 2013) is an exquisitely intimate look into the China of the 21st century as seen through the eyes of its people. This is the first time that a book of this type combines the voices of everyday Chinese people from so many different layers of society, including:
- The indulgent world of Ferraris and night clubs of the fu er dai, the second generation of Chinese millionaires
- A peasant-turned-prostitute to pay for her son’s upscale education
- A woman who married her gay friend to escape from social pressure, like an estimated 16 million other women, called tongqi (“wife of a homosexual”)
- A venerable Kung Fu master unable to train outdoors because of the hazardous pollution
- The daughter of two Communist Party officials getting rich coaching Chinese entrepreneurs in the ways of Capitalism
And more…
“It wasn’t easy to gain their trust; some had never spoken to a foreigner before. The key was to interview them myself in Mandarin, because most refused to allow another Chinese person to hear their stories, either out of fear or embarrassment,” says Fuentes. “After months of conversation, long walks, and one instance of police persecution, they all talked to me openly about their goals, dreams and frustrations.”
China is a land many believe they know from movies portraying majestic shots of the countryside, news stories decrying Communist activities through the years, or glimpses of fans in the crowds of rare events like the Olympics. This book shatters those stereotypes.
“Ana interviewed hundreds of people from all rungs of the socioeconomic ladder, who gave her the keys to better understanding where China was coming from, and where it was heading,” says Erik Riesenberg , Associate Publisher of C.A. Press . “She made some wonderful friendships, and witnessed some repulsive injustices.”
