Join us for the Opportunity Book Club and read with us! Each month, we will select a book about a country in which Opportunity works, an issue that is relevant to our clients, or a topic of interest. Read with us, join our discussions online, and broaden your perspective of the world.

During the 1960s and 1970s, China underwent its Cultural Revolution—a season marked by political struggle, violence, and Mao Zedong, the Chairman of the Communist Party, returning to power.

This portion of China’s history influenced so much of the China we know today. To understand the lives of our clients in China now, we must understand the political, economic, and cultural movements that shaped their current situations. 

For a first-hand glimpse into the history of China, this May we are reading: 

China in 10 Words by Yu Hua

Through a series of memoirs from his own childhood, Yu illustrates the larger political and social changes happening around him. He paints a broad picture of China through his own personal anecdotes—and frames each story around one key word.

Through terms like “Disparity,” “Copycat,” and “Bamboozle,” Yu describes the China he has experienced. He writes as a storyteller, not an academic, but his words still offer us so much insight and wisdom. He writes with honesty and humor, described by Salon magazine as "an Asian fusion of David Sedaris and Charles Kuralt." 

Amazon describes Yu’s work, saying, “Witty, insightful, and courageous, this is a refreshingly candid vision of the ‘Chinese miracle’ and all of its consequences.” And the Wall Street Journal wrote, "If you think you know China, you will be challenged to think again. If you don't know China, you will be introduced to a country that is unlike anything you have heard from travelers or read about in the news." 

Join us as we read and learn about history, politics, economics, social change, and power through 10 important words. 

Pick up a copy on Amazon.com, at your local library, or at your favorite local bookstore today.

Learn more about the Opportunity Book Club at opportunity.org/bookclub

 

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