Makes you really think about China's impact will be on the world.

I have always wanted to visit China and Maarten Troost gave me a lot to consider in making this decision. The SMOG, the public hygiene issues all combined to make me not want to go. But then after our book club had a wonderful discussion of the book, lead by one of our members who lived and traveled in China for several years, I really may still want to go. But having said all that, the book is a fun, bird's eye view of live in modern day China. It's reads like a journal and travelogue and kept me laughing even when I was amazed at the smog and lack of hygiene exhibited by the Chinese.