Breathe To Read

Breathe To Read

Monday, September 30, 2019

Read The World - China - Lost on Planet China

Book: Lost on Planet China
Author: J. Maarten Troost
Pages: 400
Book takes place in the country: YES
Author is from the country: NO (but he spent time there)
I have visited: NO (but my husband has and our son was adopted from Hunan, China)


This is my 111th read for the year.

I have read another book about China this year, but I really didn't like it.  I have been searching for another to add to my permanent Read The World bookshelf, and came across Troost's book.  I have read two of his other books for my challenge, and loved them both, so I was excited to see this one.

I also want to say that China has a special place in my heart.  We adopted our son from China when he was 14 months old.  Now our sweet boy is 13 years old, and the light of our life.  I am so grateful to have him in our family.  My husband was the one who went to get him when we adopted him (I had two young daughters at home I couldn't leave) but I hope to one day return to his place of birth and see the country of his heritage.


This is the story of the author's time in China.  He and his wife were thinking about moving their family there as a change of lifestyle, so Troost went to see the country for himself.  He spends several months visiting some of the most well known sections of the country, and his recount of his time there is both information and hilarious.  Troost has a knack for story telling that keeps readers engaged even when he is filling our head with facts about the places he is visiting or living.  

Troost gives quite the entertaining insight of what it is like to be emersed in the Chinese culture.  He talks about the constant smog, the pushing and shoving, and taking your lives in your hands when you cross the street.  All things my husband also reported about his trip to China all those years ago.  

This book is laugh out loud funny.  I really think he is a talented writer, and I enjoyed this book just as much as the other two of his I have read this year.  I highly encourage you to read his writing.  It is a refreshing take on non-fiction material that should not be missed.

Stars: 4 1/2


1 comment:

  1. This sounds like such a good read, and I hope you all get to go and see China with your son to learn more of his heritage <3

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