Sign in with Facebook
No Chopsticks Required
No Chopsticks Required is Walkley-award winning journalist Katrina Beikoff's memoir of the year she and her young family spent living and working in Shanghai (after she and her partner accepted contracts to work at The Shanghai Daily). During their year, Katrina and her family witnessed a range of major events: a once-in-a-lifetime snow storm, a devastating earthquake whic...more
Paperback
Published
January 1st 2011
by Finch Publishing
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
46)
This book completely surprised me and left me a bit shocked. It is the account of the authors year in Shanghai and what she experienced.
I thought it was a great read to get an idea on life in China has a foreigner and the roadblocks that can get in the way. It made me really a bit scared of ever gong or living there. Everything is so strict and children appear to be treated like robots.
One disappointment was the author, I got more and more frustrated that she lived there a year and didn't appear...more
I thought it was a great read to get an idea on life in China has a foreigner and the roadblocks that can get in the way. It made me really a bit scared of ever gong or living there. Everything is so strict and children appear to be treated like robots.
One disappointment was the author, I got more and more frustrated that she lived there a year and didn't appear...more
Imagine for a second you do something crazy: accept an unexpected invitation to spend a year in a country with a culture several road trips removed from what you're used to.
Journalist Katrina Beikoff accepts such an invitation, moving from a newspaper in Australia's liberal democracy to a socialist government-run paper in Shanghai.
She points out the frustrating and unexpected differences between Australia and China, doing it with a combination of humor and insight.
The book's an enjoyable read th...more
Journalist Katrina Beikoff accepts such an invitation, moving from a newspaper in Australia's liberal democracy to a socialist government-run paper in Shanghai.
She points out the frustrating and unexpected differences between Australia and China, doing it with a combination of humor and insight.
The book's an enjoyable read th...more
I really loved this book. Having lived in Hong Kong with my Chinese husband for a few years back in the 80's, I totally relate to Katrina's observation of Chinese culture and understanding the Chinese psyche. I laughed out loud at times at some of her stories about acclimatizing to life in Shanghai. I felt like I was traveling on the journey with her and was sad to finish it. We're visiting China for the first time in September with our adult children and I'm so glad I found this book to read up...more
Light, funny and insightful. This is a travel memoir of an Australian journalist and her family who spent a year working and living in China. I enjoyed reading her perspective on the Olympics and the food contamination scares. Who knew that part of the fireworks we saw during the opening ceremony of the Olympics was computer-generated!?!! I picked up this book at a sale as I'm planning a trip to China later this year. But now I'm a little worried about what I should or should not eat while there...more
It was a good book. Not OMGGREAT, but really enjoyable. It gave an excellent snapshot into what it is like living in a foreign country, and it really encouraged me not to be afraid of living somewhere with a language barrier. The insights into the Chinese media were very interesting as well. The story itself is, of course, not particularly remarkable, but that's part of what I found so enjoyable about it. It was just the right length, so I read it on my lunch breaks at work.
Interesting from a personal point of view, having lived in Shanghai for some time too, admittedly not wih two little children, which obviously and understandably caused the family some heartache. I concur with Katrina's relating of the Chinese lack of risk-aversion when it comes to pedestrians crossing busy multi-lane freeways!
Apr 29, 2011
Kathie Baker
is currently reading it
Good easy read. From a personal perspective I relate well to many of the observations - having and still living here in RURAL China for nearly 3 years.
Jan 08, 2012
Mad Scientist
marked it as to-read
I need to read this one, since I'm headed to China for work.
Katrina's story of a year spent in China brought back many memory of taking our children to China in 2004. In many places I was thinking, wow I remember having that problem; issues such as finding bread that tastes like bread, retreating into a McDonalds to find a 'known meal' and the swarm of photographers descending on a blonde male child if you stopped for too long. A thoroughly enjoying read.
Well written book about the trials and joys of living and working as a journalist in China with her family.
Mar 10, 2013
Kirsten Hiner
marked it as to-read
Mar 10, 2013
Sarah Mccarthy
added it
Feb 06, 2013
Remco Van
marked it as to-read
Jan 06, 2013
Ally Goodall
added it
Dec 14, 2012
Samantha
is currently reading it
Dec 10, 2012
Melissa
added it
Nov 22, 2012
Abigail Amber
marked it as to-read
Nov 04, 2012
Li Yi
marked it as to-read
Jan 27, 2013
Stef
marked it as to-read
Jul 21, 2012
Fabrice
added it
Jul 02, 2012
Geoff
marked it as to-read
Apr 30, 2012
Marita Mcbride
marked it as to-read
Jan 16, 2012
Sarah
added it
Jan 08, 2012
Kara
marked it as to-read
Jan 08, 2012
Shelleyrae at Book'd Out
marked it as to-read
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
