Books to read if you’re coming to China
I apologize for not posting for a while. I was completing a year-long goal of losing 50lbs and running a triathlon, the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, this last week. I have never been so proud of 618th place in my life!I've also been incredible busy--I'm writing this from Vietnam. 5 countries in the last week and the contrast in national "personalities" is just striking--I'm literally overlooking a huge street party in HCM city right now. Vietnam just won the Asian Games football gold. Thailand was a vacation (whether we wanted it or not) and China is 24/7 business--we were gone for only a week and came back to a new building that had previously just been cement, with a totally new glass face. Taiwan seems more and more depressing each time I go and Hong Kong is still amazing. And as we're heading back to the US for Christmas (country #6 in 10 days), this will be the last post of the year too--other than the annual year-end review of the most popular posts.Thanks for reading and commenting. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.At the last Global Sources show in Hong Kong I was asked after my presentation: "So is there anything else that you think we (people new to business in China) should know?" I answered, "Yea, tons! Do you have a year?"
Here's the longer answer to that question. These are my suggestions based on the books that I’ve read over the last few years. These are all books that I liked and found to be of value, or at least to be of interest. I tried to focus the list and limit the qtty to what I expected is a manageable amount of reading for someone who is busy moving to another country.Of course, this list is in no way exhaustive. Feel free to add to it.I’ve divided the suggestions into different categories based loosely on the situation of the coming reader. The first link is to SRI's book review (if I wrote one), and the second is to Amazon--you're welcome. My favorites are numbered (1-10).First, Business Professionals—meaning people that are going to be working in China in a more or less completely Chinese environment full time.(4) Inside Chinese Business, by Ming-Jer Chen(3) Chinese Business Etiquette, by Scott D. Seligman(7) The China Price, by Alexandra HarneyThe Chinese, by Jasper BeckerManaging the Dragon, by Jack Perkowski and (8) Mr. China, by Tim ClissoldBusiness Leadership in China, by Frank T. Gallo(5) The Coming Collapse of China, by Gordon G. Chang(Yes, there are a ton of other books that could go here--feel free to add to the list below--but these are the ones that I thought were the best.)Sub category: Importers—people trying to build their own brands and markets within China.All of the Business books above, plus:Luxury China, by Michel Chevalier and Pierre Xiao Lu(6) Elite China, by Pierre Xiao LuWhere East Eats West, by Sam GoodmanSub category: Buyers—these are people that are here irregularly, but still have significant in-China experience.All of the Business books above, plus:Poorly Made in China, by Paul MidlerFactory Girls, by Leslie T. ChangAll the Tea in China, by Jeremy HaftOne Billion Customers, by James McGregorSecond, non-business types. Maybe spouses of professionals and/or English teachers or students (non-business focus).(9) River Town, by Peter HesslerOracle Bones, by Peter HesslerThe Rape of Nanking, by Iris ChangWill the Boat Sink the Water, by Chen Guidi and Wu ChuntaoWild Swans, Jung ChangLife and Death in Shanghai, by Nien ChengSoul Mountain, by Gao XingjianChinese Lessons, by John PomfretChina Hands, by James R. Lilley and Jeffery LilleyLonely Planet China, here's the web site too.Sub category: Politics and/or higher education (10) China: Fragile Superpower, by Susan L. ShirkThe Tiananmen Papers, by Liang Zhang, Andrew J. Nathan, Perry Link, and Orville Schell (1)Gifts Favors and Banquets (anthropology), by Mayfair Mei-Hui Yang(2) Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics, by Yasheng HuangThe Great Wall, China Against the World, by Julia LovellWhat does China Think?, by Mark LeonardThe Search for Modern China (history), by Jonathan D. SpenceChinese Religiosities (anthropology), by Mayfair Mei-Hui Yang