I just finished reading Oracle Bones by Peter Hessler.
I love to read but finding time to sit down and enjoy a novel is scarce so Oracle Bones was the perfect read for me. I found it an easy book to pick up and put down as time allowed and I am ashamed to announce that it took me 6 months to complete. Don’t get the wrong idea… it was completely engaging and I enjoyed every page of it.
Hessler introduces us to ordinary people and weaves them in and out of the time period from 1999 to 2004. In this nonfiction account, we hear their views of a changing China and understand how the past and present have converged to create new ideals that are sometimes at odds with their strong sense of tradition. Throughout this process Hessler explains the related history and provides an intriguing snapshot of a country in transition.
I enjoyed the book immensely and plan to read his first book, River Town.
