Lost on Planet China: The Strange and True Story of One Man's Attempt to Understand the World's Most Mystifying Nation, or How He Became Comfortable Eating Live Squid

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Lost on Planet China: The Strange and True Story of One Man's Attempt to Understand the World's Most Mystifying Nation, or How He Became Comfortable Eating Live Squid

3.78 of 5 stars 3.78 · rating details · 4,458 ratings · 655 reviews

The bestselling author of The Sex Lives of Cannibals returns with a sharply observed, hilarious account of his adventures in China—a complex, fascinating country with enough dangers and delicacies to keep him, and readers, endlessly entertained.

Maarten Troost has charmed legions of readers with his laugh-out-loud tales of wandering the remote islands of the South Pacific....more

Hardcover, 382 pages

Published July 8th 2008 by Broadway (first published January 1st 2008)

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Jun 10, 2012 Michael Kneeland rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: comic-masterpieces

In his first two books, 'Sex Lives of Cannibals' and 'Getting Stoned with Savages', J. Maarten Troost wrote about his life living with his diplomat wife in the far reaches of the Equatorial Pacific. Strangely, these books earned Troost the moniker, “travel writer,” despite the fact they are more memoir than guidebook to traveling through those places. After all, it’s hard to imagine someone actually planning a vacation to remote islands where the U.S. government tested loads of A-bombs during th...more In his first two books, 'Sex Lives of Cannibals' and 'Getting Stoned with Savages', J. Maarten Troost wrote about his life living with his diplomat wife in the far reaches of the Equatorial Pacific. Strangely, these books earned Troost the moniker, “travel writer,” despite the fact they are more memoir than guidebook to traveling through those places. After all, it’s hard to imagine someone actually planning a vacation to remote islands where the U.S. government tested loads of A-bombs during the Cold War. In his third book, 'Lost on Planet China', Troost officially earns his “travel writer” status, for he details his journeys throughout the gargantuan country.

Early in the book, Troost begins discussing the extent of the pollution running rampant throughout China: it is everywhere, in the air, in the water, on the streets. Apparently, so polluted is China that its pollution reaches destinations as far away as the Great Lakes. Troost cannot even climb Tai Shan, a massive and sacred mountain, without experiencing the pollution-induced overcast weather. Sadly, Coleridge’s Xanadu this is not. Troost does, however, quickly adjust to the poisonous atmosphere — his coughing fits decrease, his eyes water less, and he is able to study and document China’s other aspects.

Also early in the book, Troost describes what he calls the different “lenses” he needs in order to view certain aspects of China in its “truthful” sense, as opposed to the imagined sense the government sells to whoever cares enough to pay attention; he calls this the “Chinese context.” View a China-produced Nestlé water bottle label through your ordinary eyes, and you see that it is purified water as unpolluted as that which flows from the Adirondaks; but view the same label through your “Chinese context” lenses, and you see that the water might be from some ultra-polluted, parasite-ridden tap in Beijing. Why the facade? Because the Chinese government knows that the key to success is a pristine image, even if that image is laughably transparent. And apparently, this is working, for despite the many horror stories that continue to surface about Chinese-manufactured products (lead-ridden toys, poisonous dry wall, etc.), the U.S. and other leading world powers continue to buy Chinese goods. A transparent facade is easy to believe, it seems, when the price tags are cheap. Troost exploits this facade as often as possible, and often ironically: for instance, he describes a train car compartment filled with government suits, who are all smoking despite the large “No Smoking” signs posted everywhere on the train. A timid stewardess attempts to remind the suits of this; Troost notes that the suits say something to her in reply, and moments later she returns with ashtrays. The facade is that China is a country devoted to “The People,” but the reality is that the government does essentially whatever it wants. Such is the way with republics these days!

But 'Lost on Planet China' is hardly a political diatribe. Though Troost never passes up a chance to ridicule the hypocritical Chinese government, and though he spends some time lamenting the loss of Tibetan culture, he remains faithful to his “travel writer” status and focuses mainly on the experience of journeying through the country.

After describing life in the megalopolises, where crossing the street is hazardous to your health (if the speeding cars don’t kill you, the smog will), Troost moves on to describe the countryside, such as the stripmallish sections of the Great Wall and the afore-mentioned smoggishly hazy Tai Shan. He eventually discusses his travels in parts of the country where the pollution only slightly affects one’s experience. He climbs another mountain, for example, and embarks upon a trail above what is called Tiger Leaping Gorge: he details a natural experience so sublime that he becomes almost Romantic — this is as close to “Kubla Khan” as we will apparently ever get. And so, despite his snarky descriptions of the government and rampant pollution, Troost does leave us with many positive images of China, such as the sublimity of Tiger Leaping Gorge.

Ultimately, however, Troost leaves a sour taste in our mouths; for despite the friendly people he meets (including two helpful Chinese women named Meow Meow and Cinderella — yep) and the beautiful vistas he takes in, he gives us unpleasant images that sadly trump all the pleasant things he tells us about. Most lasting is the image of the boy he finds while walking with an immense crowd along the pier jutting out into Quingdao Bay:

"Then, suddenly, the crowd parted as if it had stumbled upon a lane divider. There before me sat
a boy, not more than seven years old, though it was impossible to tell with any certainty. He was an albino with skin that was nearly translucent. He had no arms, and his ragged shirt had been pulled down to reveal the rough scars from where he arms should have been. His skin had been burned raw by the sun, and he sat there rocking and moaning with a plastic bowl before him that contained a scattering of coins.

"Who was this boy? Who had done this to him? The scars on his stumps suggested that he wasn’t born armless. Who was sending him forth to beg on a pier? It would be far from the last time that I’d find myself pondering a display of mind-boggling cruelty in China, and it was why, despite the whiz-bang, China-is-the-future vibe I felt in this coastal city, I’d likely never have warm and fuzzy feelings for the country" (112-113).

How could he have warm and fuzzy feelings for China with images such as these always haunting his memories of the country?

Suffice to say, the content of 'Lost on Planet China' is engaging, whether it pushes your political buttons, entices you to go backpacking through China’s remoter regions, or just plain tugs on your heart-strings. You will not become bored reading this book. Troost’s writing style helps this, for he is witty and immediately likeable. Though the books is close to 400 pages, you will zip right along as though it were a hundred pages shorter.

A book that documents one’s travels throughout modern-day China could be burdensome and overwhelming, but Troost pulls a Michael Palin on us and gives us a travel narrative that is at once humorous, informative, and insightful. Though I still question whether Troost’s earlier books should have earned him the “travel writer” moniker, 'Lost on Planet China' unquestionably raises him to this status, and deservedly so. I eagerly anticipate any and all forthcoming Troost narratives.(less)

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Aug 12, 2008 Allison rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: travelers, cynicists

I am still in the process of reading this book, but I can definitely provide a recommendation as to the character of Troost's writing. In 2003, I went to northern China (Beijing, Datong, and later, Chengdu) to pursue a career in English Education. I had no idea what China would be like, and wow, "culture shock" doesn't seem like a strong enough phrase.

Troost captures the essence of China in a hilarious and yet well-informed way. The people I met during my travels in China really are every bit a...more

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Mar 14, 2011 Robyn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: china-biblio, travel, non-fiction

I've known about this book for awhile after reading The Sex Lives of Cannibals on the recommendation of a friend. This copy of LOPC was left in the apartment of another teacher here (I'm in Shijiazhuang, south of Beijing) so I decided to read it. Having lived in China for almost 7 months now I can appreciate just about everything Troost describes. Most of it is spot on. He has some experiences I have not had (nor wish to have) but his reactions to and attempts at situations are similar to my own...more I've known about this book for awhile after reading The Sex Lives of Cannibals on the recommendation of a friend. This copy of LOPC was left in the apartment of another teacher here (I'm in Shijiazhuang, south of Beijing) so I decided to read it. Having lived in China for almost 7 months now I can appreciate just about everything Troost describes. Most of it is spot on. He has some experiences I have not had (nor wish to have) but his reactions to and attempts at situations are similar to my own. You try so hard with the best intentions but Western ways usually have no impact or meaning here.

The sarcasm gets a little old but that is his style and many times I've laughed out loud and many more times I've just nodded in complete agreement. I agree with another reviewer that maps would be helpful for someone not familiar with the country.
I'm enjoying the book and it keeps me coming back in between my forays to class and errands around town where, as he so aptly describes, you take your life into your own hands with the traffic. I've been hit twice - once while dodging a moped and once from behind where I guess I was supposed to know what was bearing down on me. Not hurt either time, just annoyed and confused.

Even if traffic laws are no more than a mere suggestion, one might think common sense would play a role. Nope. Even the travel page for China on the State Dept site reminds travelers that the pedestrian does not have the right of way. No such thing. It's been difficult to remember. I wonder how many moped collisions it will take for me to learn this.

As I write, our hero is headed for Yunnan Province...

It's over. I notched it down from 4 to 3 stars. Would like to know how he got away from N. Korea at the end. At least he liked the Terracotta Warriors. I was waiting for him to belittle that place too. They are remarkable. If I see nothing else here I'm glad I saw the Warriors.

I have not been to all the places Troost describes (a few) but I can relate. What he portrays so negatively, I see as "just the way it is".

For what it's worth, yes, the pollution is bad. But I've not seen horrendous smog he experienced. We even get blue sky here in Shijiazhuang, sometimes for several days in a row. Then the pollution settles in again. The norm seems to be "hazy". I've been to Beijing several times and on those occasions it was not bad. Maybe I hit the odd, good days.

This is one person's experience in China. I'd recommend some "balancing" books such as China Road (Rob Gifford) and/or Country Driving (Peter Hessler).
(less)

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Feb 21, 2009 Jennie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Absolute RIOT!!!! After authors grueling description of Beijing's pollution, you have to ask yourself, how in the Hell did they pull off the Olympics in that cesspool?!?

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May 25, 2010 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, non-fiction

While not as humorous as his previous Pacific islander books, Troost’s bravery in tackling the massive undertaking that is China is commendable. Since the country is so large, so old and so densely populated, he had to address many more topics than his own astute observations: history, economy, politics, culture, and pollution. And he hardly scratched the surface. He reported on many of the obligatory locations and major cities, stopping in [pre-Olympic:] Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and seeing...more

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Sep 26, 2009 Ed rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone with an interest in Modern China

Recommended to Ed by: Tom Duff

Shelves: humor, memoir, travel, non-fiction, reviewed

This book was a joy to read. I've lived in Hong Kong for 17 years and have spent a lot of time in China. Even though he was there for a relatively short time, he nailed a lot of the peculiarities of Chinese culture and the Chinese people.

A good part of his writing is tongue-in-cheek, much in the style of Bill Bryson. He also is humble about his own peculiarities and frank about how they get in the way of his total enjoyment of what he is experiencing. The result creates innumerable chuckles and...more This book was a joy to read. I've lived in Hong Kong for 17 years and have spent a lot of time in China. Even though he was there for a relatively short time, he nailed a lot of the peculiarities of Chinese culture and the Chinese people.

A good part of his writing is tongue-in-cheek, much in the style of Bill Bryson. He also is humble about his own peculiarities and frank about how they get in the way of his total enjoyment of what he is experiencing. The result creates innumerable chuckles and some out loud laughter as he wanders around "The Middle Kingdom".

Many of the places he describes are places that me or my wife Pam, who also loved the book, have visited alone or together. I could relate to many of the situations he found himself in. Three leap immediately to mind. One, is the absolute, total unwillingness of mainland Chinese to queue and the subsequent frustration of people like Maarten or myself as people try to squeeze into lines, perhaps better described as clumps. The second is the "trust to fate" way that Chinese Taxi's, trucks and most other vehicles are driven. Third is the fact that all prices in almost all venues are subject to bargaining and in fact bargaining with or haranguing the vendor is a major sport in China. Another drawback he continuously mentions is the lack of any kind of decent air quality in the urban areas.

His experience with the average Chinese restaurant parallels my own. I remember early in my first visit to China, telling my host that I did not wish to know what I was eating unless I asked. That way I could try everything without any expectations. I still do that when I am in the hinterlands and am faced with a menu I can't read or a situation where someone else is ordering the food.

Some reviewers did not like what they saw as Troost's unfair criticisms of China and the Chinese. I definitely do not agree. He is merely pointing out what he sees with his obviously acute observant eye. He also has many good things to say and he approaches these with the same humble and humorous attitude.

Over-all, the book is must reading for anyone who has spent anytime in China or is planning on visiting China other than on a guided tour. On guided tours, you will most likely not have the opportunity to learn the lessons Troost did.(less)

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Trice interesting review

I have a friend who has compared driving in mainland China to fish swimming - the lines don't matter so much as finding a place thr...more
Apr 21, 2010 01:10am

Ed What you describe about traffic in China is true elsewhere in Asia, The Philippines, Thailand, India, Indonesia, to name a few.

Hong Kong enforces the...more
Apr 21, 2010 10:39am

Aug 25, 2008 Bonnie Gayle rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-books, reviewed, non-fiction

I made it to page 150, but I kept finding myself thinking about the book that was next on my to read stack, WHILE I was reading this book. Never a good sign.

There's a lot of good information contained in this book, which I was looking for, since I don't know much at all about China. A couple examples: 1/3 of the air polution in California has actually drifted over 6,000 miles across the ocean from China. Also, the Great Wall of China is actually several shorter walls, which will all eventually...more

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Juha Although I don't think it's quite as bad as you do, I do see your point (I'm almost done with the book now). The problem is really the negativity. Chi...more
May 30, 2009 02:25pm

Ed I don't get that Troost was being negative. Anymore than Bill Bryson is being negative when he reports on something he has experienced with humor and...more
Sep 26, 2009 11:57pm

Sep 21, 2008 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Prior to listening to this, all I knew about contemporary China came from bits of newspaper articles, especially surrounding the Olympics. This book covers Troost's extensive travels there as an absolute novice in all things China. He is at times very funny and certainly informative, particularly for someone like me who knew next to nothing about the subject. He also left me very worried about the way China is growing and the effect it will have on the rest of the world, obviously not a new thou...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Arlene rated it 3 of 5 stars

Maarten Troost's previous two books, The Sex Lives of Cannibals and Getting Stoned with Savages, were so crazy funny you found yourself laughing out loud from beginning to end. He brought his sense of humor with him on his China travels, but that crazy humor doesn't show up in full force in this book. The reason for that might be what he saw and experienced traveling there for four months. From the suffocating air pollution, to the disgusting personal habits, to a total lack of courtesy and help...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Ann Littlewood rated it 4 of 5 stars

OK, now I'm really depressed. A tip of the hat to Maarten Troost for embarking alone on his China travels and another one for the ground he covered. (The inside covers have maps.) The book is a few years out of date, but I expect that much of what he described is still true: a ruthless economic expansion at the expense of clean air, historic neighborhoods, and civic amenities. The big cities (sorry, ENORMOUS cities) are filthy from air pollution and the inhabitants' lack of hygiene.

Troost write...more OK, now I'm really depressed. A tip of the hat to Maarten Troost for embarking alone on his China travels and another one for the ground he covered. (The inside covers have maps.) The book is a few years out of date, but I expect that much of what he described is still true: a ruthless economic expansion at the expense of clean air, historic neighborhoods, and civic amenities. The big cities (sorry, ENORMOUS cities) are filthy from air pollution and the inhabitants' lack of hygiene.

Troost writes with a lively, entertaining style and with careful detail. What he describe, however, isn't pretty. Money is the dominant value, laws are irrelevant, officials are corrupt and capricious. Historical and cultural structures are of no value and razed for ugly apartment buildings. Conspicuous consumption is a treasured goal. Post-Mao China reminds me of the battered child (he describes the Red Guards) that tortures animals (which they do). Except it's not really post-Mao: one of the world's most heinous mass murderers is still revered.

Troost samples many areas the country and many aspects of it. He enjoys the food with few reservations, talks to people when he can, travels by bus and train (rarely on tours), and goes everywhere--bars, brothels, tourist sites. He has a pretty good time in western China with the Naxis and Tibetans and other minorities. But the greater part of China (Han China) seems to be a cultural and environmental hell-hole where daily life requires enduring filth, noise, anger, and discourtesy.

This book makes an environmentalist want to weep. A third of Los Angeles' pollution comes from China. The population is enormous. Increasing wealth means death to wildlife throughout the world. Natural landscapes fall to bulldozers as fast as possible.

China is said to be a country that lurches rather than evolves. Dictatorships can be capable of rapid change. Let's hope that the gray men that rule China decide--soon--that the country can afford to reduce pollution, institute the rule of law, and add a little joy and civility to common life. And, please, educate the children about the natural world. We aren't going to make it if we don't all back off and let a big part of it alone.(less)

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Jan 03, 2013 Ensiform rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, travel, china

Troost, in no way a China expert but a veteran traveler, spends several months in China, from Beijing to Hong Kong, from small villages to Ferrari dealerships in Shanghai. Troost does his homework and gives a good account of some of the history behind the places he visits, such as how the Yongle emperor, Zhu Di, exterminated his enemies’ families “to the tenth degree.” His own personal observations, such as just how pestilential the polluted air of China’s cities is, are of more value than stati...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: travel

Another book from the same author of those South Pacific books I read. This one was way more recent then the others as the author talked about like the internet, 9/11 and some other recent world-wide events. Except this time, the trip was just about him and his travels. A good mix of experiences with expats who live there now as well as locals. I liked hear how much has changed recently in this fast moving country. The names of people and places didn't mean much to me and I glossed over most of...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Erica added it

I admit I skimmed the last five pages because I got into the office and I just wanted to be done. But that isn't a comment on the quality of the book, though I enjoyed this one less than Troost's two other books (Sex Lives of Cannibals is really, really great.) The problem with this one wasn't Troost's problem (or, wasn't only his problem). The problem is that he makes China sound so awful that by the end I not only didn't want to go there, I wanted to stop reading about it. Other readers may fe...more

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May 03, 2012 Tessa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: The reason I gave this 3 stars instead of 4 is because of the author's use of a certain R-rated word, sometimes for humorous effect and sometimes not.

Other than that quibble, I really liked Lost on Planet China. Troost wanted to understand modern China and what better way to do that than to tromp through the country for a few months, alone (for the most part) and not speaking the language? Gutsy, yes. Hilarious, yes. Thought-provoking, surprisingly yes. Troost's writing style is bre...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Carrie rated it 5 of 5 stars

What's the best way to understand China? Move there. So believes J. Maarten Troost, who after a stint in Sacramento, California, decides he wants to move his wife and two young sons to China to learn Chinese, the fastest growing economy on the planet. He wants his boys to be prepared for the future. And there is absolutely no reason to stay in Sacramento. (I concur, I lived there.)

His wife is a little more practical. Sylvia wants to move to Monterey, California. How to choose?

They decide that...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Finn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Oh, Troost. I knew eventually you would have to get a real job and settle down. Not because you didn't want to be a lifelong bohemian traveler but because one day, as a lot of us endless wanderers do, you found yourself with offspring. It's not that children don't benefit from seeing the world, they do- but it's the pure and simple truth that once you care more about the welfare of babies than you do the glorious (self-gratifying) life on the road... well, you kind of end up putting things like...more

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Oct 01, 2011 Troy Parfitt rated it 3 of 5 stars

A few weeks ago, I got a hankering for a good China read, but all related volumes on my shelf had been covered. In one of those Who-cares-about-the-cost? moments, I raced off to the bookstore thinking I'd buy either The Party by Richard McGregor or one of Peter Hessler's offerings: Oracle Bones or Country Driving. But the bookstore didn't have those books, and they couldn't be ordered, so, dejectedly, after surveying the sparse China offering, bottom-shelved in politics/history, I made my way to...more

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Aug 07, 2011 Nenia Campbell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: true-story-bro, mem-wars, reviewed, x-2008s, send-in-the-roflcopter, hipstercrack, me-chinese

Reading this book was a treat. China is fast becoming one of the world's greatest economic superpowers but a lot of white folks don't really know much about the culture. I dated a guy who was from Macau and my parents went on a trip to China so a lot of this stuff wasn't really a surprise to me: people with no regard for personal space, a grudging dislike/fanatical awe of foreigners, unabashed staring, cars jockeying for road space alongside bicyclists and horse-drawn carts, Chinese people charg...more Reading this book was a treat. China is fast becoming one of the world's greatest economic superpowers but a lot of white folks don't really know much about the culture. I dated a guy who was from Macau and my parents went on a trip to China so a lot of this stuff wasn't really a surprise to me: people with no regard for personal space, a grudging dislike/fanatical awe of foreigners, unabashed staring, cars jockeying for road space alongside bicyclists and horse-drawn carts, Chinese people charging foreigners 3x more the actual worth, the difficulty of finding decent Chinese food (frequently it's too salty or too MSG-y), the multiple tones that make Chinese one of the harder languages to learn... (in one of my psychology class, a girl told us that the simple phoneme "ma" has like four meanings depending on which tone you use! Yikes!).

The pollution came as an unpleasant surprise, though. I suppose that's one of the downsides of globalization; sometimes people get access to a technology before they're fully aware of the repercussions and then by the time they learn, their economy is so dependent on this technology that they can't afford to change. According to Troost, about 1/3 of the "fresh" water in China is unsafe even for INDUSTRIAL use (as he says, if it's not safe for use in a LEAD PAINT plant, where can you use it?? The man has a point). The smog in the cities was no less distressing. Each year, millions of Chinese die because of the complications that arise from breathing toxic air.

I've read one of Troost's other books, The Sex Lives of Cannibals where he spends several years on an inconsequential island in the South Pacific where people drink this apparently horrid-tasting alcohol called kava made from chewing up and spitting out leaves (and sometimes it's ABC'd by somebody else. YUCK!) and the inhabitants still remember what eating people tastes like. I don't think there are many people who are capable of going native to the extent that he does (though he never tries "long pig," thank goodness). I think it's amazing how open-minded he is. I don't think I'd ever be able to do what he does, what with my utterly crappy immune system and the ease with which I get food poisoning. I suspect he must have a cast-iron stomach. And is not easily shocked. Imagine wandering into a brothel AND a gay bar (and then being propositioned! how awkward) AND THEN being accosted by a scary bodyguard who works for Chinese mafiosos. God, I can't even imagine.

My one issue is that sometimes it seems like he is a little mean to people for the fun of it. Baiting peddlers for example (although some of them seem to find his antics amusing), or being mean to Mormon missionaries. I can't say that I really approve of provoking people for the sake of writing material (but then I'm one to talk; psychology majors have made a profession of it). I kind of get the impression that, in person, he's the type of man you either walk away loving or hating with no in-betweens; Troost seems like he is defined by extremes.

That said, I'm hoping he publishes another book soon. I enjoy reading about the far-reaches of the Earth. Sometimes, in the case of Vanuatu and Kiribas, I never even knew they existed! Oh, please, Mr. Troost, on the off chance that you might read this, do Tibet, the Middle East, or Eastern Europe next (preferably NOT Romania, although if you must, try to refrain from mentioning vampires).(less)

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Jul 03, 2011 Ethan Cramer-Flood rated it 2 of 5 stars

Had I read this book immediately after arriving in China, I probably would have given it 3 stars or possibly even 4. Maarten Troost's humorous observations, snarky jokes, semi-informed opinions, and sarcastic ranting exactly match what any reasonably educated foreigner thinks if he or she spends a month or two here. Thus, had I picked up his book in the fall of 2009, I would have probably been doubled over in laughter on a regular basis, saying things like "It's so true!"

However, I'm no longer t...more

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Jan 26, 2011 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: travel, china, non-fiction

This book was not at all what I expected. Having read reviews of Troost's work I had expected something funny, uplifting and definitely a great description of the areas he visited. What I got was something funny, somewhat depressing and a biased view of the areas he visited.

Having lived in the tropics for awhile Troost had already wrote books about those areas. Now, living in California, he decided a trip to China would be interesting. Packing his bags he left his kids and wife in Sacramento and...more This book was not at all what I expected. Having read reviews of Troost's work I had expected something funny, uplifting and definitely a great description of the areas he visited. What I got was something funny, somewhat depressing and a biased view of the areas he visited.

Having lived in the tropics for awhile Troost had already wrote books about those areas. Now, living in California, he decided a trip to China would be interesting. Packing his bags he left his kids and wife in Sacramento and started his journey of the large country known as China.

He goes many places while there, Beijing, Hong Kong, Tibet, and many other cities and rural areas. However, the prevailing theme of these areas seems to be pollution, people relieving themselves in the streets, brothels, and people hacking up their lungs. Now I don't deny that China has some serious pollution and social order problems, what I do deny is the fact that he didn't really find anything positive to write about when traveling to all these different places. There were times when you thought you were about to have something positive shown, but then he'd snatch it away claiming he couldn't see it because of the smog. Could this be true? Maybe. But not to the extent he took it is my guess.

There was one part where he and a friend (who was equally pessimistic) hiked to a gorge. There was a lot of build up to seeing this gorge. And then, after crossing the waterfall they somehow ended up in another town. While I guess I could have missed it, I read the section twice, and did not find any actual description of seeing this amazing gorge. This same thing happens with climbing a mountain, he reaches the top only to find it overly crowded and the view somewhat blocked by smog.

The only positive writings I do remember are in description of the food. While he has some nervousness on eating it initially, most of what he tries ends up being wonderful. Which is a relief really, I was hoping the trip wasn't all doom and gloom. Tibet he also treated as sort of luke warm, blaming the Chinese for ruining the wonderness of it all and making it less than it should be. While Tibet has had several atrocities done to it, surely just being there would have been amazing for any traveler I would think.

A redeeming thing about Troost though is that he is very funny. Even though the book was disheartening, he did it comically. Its amazing how one man can have so much trouble haggling and finding himself in uncomfortable situations. Not to mention the language barrier made things interesting for him as well. I should note that some of his jokes were political in nature and could be offensive for some people.

I won't say I actually hated the book. I enjoyed some of it and I did like Troost's writing style. That alone made up for the severely pessimistic tone that he took. I just wished that he could have shared more of the good side of China in addition to the bad. It would appear that he did extensive research before visiting because he was able to tell a bit of the history of each place he visited and also was able to tell the history of some of the reign of Mao. It wasn't included extensively in his book but it did provide a nice background to focus on when reading about his travels.

I'll probably read his other books, just because they are supposed to be more positive than this one. Even if they are just as pessimistic though his writing is sure to be just as humorous.

Lost on Planet China
Copyright 2008
380 pages (less)

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Oct 02, 2010 David Cain rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

This travelogue is a funny, stream-of-consciousness description of J. Maarten Troost's travels all over China. There's not really a narrative arc, exactly, more just a random assortment of experiences and impressions. It was somewhat difficult to figure out exactly what part of China some events were happening, since no maps were included. The first half of the book centers on stays in some of the megalopolises in eastern China. The author clearly did NOT enjoy himself in Shanghai or Beijing, an...more

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Jul 19, 2010 TeacherMrLoria rated it 3 of 5 stars

Insightful and hilarious, I greatly enjoyed Lost on Planet China, the latest from “travel writer” J Maarten Toost. I say travel writer with quotation marks because I think he’s more than a travel writer. What distinguishes his books is a combination of humor and profundity. Not only is he hilarious, but you actually learn about the cultures you are reading about.
Troost travels to China, and though he goes open minded, he emerges all the more proud of being American and terrified of the future...more Insightful and hilarious, I greatly enjoyed Lost on Planet China, the latest from “travel writer” J Maarten Toost. I say travel writer with quotation marks because I think he’s more than a travel writer. What distinguishes his books is a combination of humor and profundity. Not only is he hilarious, but you actually learn about the cultures you are reading about.
Troost travels to China, and though he goes open minded, he emerges all the more proud of being American and terrified of the future. From the pollution to the cruel displays of humanity that he witnesses (all kinds of mutilated beggars), the crazy things that Chinese people eat, the bizarre culture of kareokee and waltzing to police brutality, his own journey really builds in complexity and purpose. I like that though he remains open minded, he doesn’t kiss China’s ass. His hilarity exposes higher truths about China, mainly that it sucks and the future is scary. China has awoken, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. Their government executes people in vans and then sells their organs, WTF. If you get your backpack stolen, the police will get you it back by tomorrow with the assurance “don’t worry, we’ve already executed the thief,” WTF.
This isn’t really my typical review, because it’s not the kind of book I typically read. I laughed and learned though, and it’s the perfect kind of book to read while on a train, bus, or somewhere that you can read in little chunks.

“China has invented many things, but the handkerchief is not among them.” 33
“As studies on the Sierra [Nevadad as in the mountains in California:] confirmed, more than a third of the air pollution affecting California originates in China. When one considers that China is more than 4,000 miles from California, one would be forgiven for concluding that they have an awful lot of pollution. And they do. In their race to be number one, the Chinese have already eclipsed the United States in one significant area. Today, China leads the world in carbon emissions.” 51
“In the US, anything more than 50 micrograms of [carbon dioxide:] particulates per cubic meter of air is considered unsafe, leading authorities to issue red alerts advising children and elderly people to remain inside. In Beijing, the average particulate matter swirling through the air on any given day is 141.” 52
“It would be by far from the last time that I’d found myself pondering a display of mind-boggling cruelty in China, and it was why, despite the whiz-bang, China-is-the-future vibe I felt in this costal city, I’d likely never have warm and fuzzy feelings for the country.” 113
“It’s not often that I ponder the wonders of a bullfrog, but this one would come barbecued. I have a soft spot for barbeque...On many a fine evening, and even those that are not so fine, I can be found standing over a Weber, barbecuing fish, shrimps, hunks of flesh, and myriad vegetables. It is, frankly, the only way I know to make squash taste good. I do it because I like it. And it makes me feel like a Man.” 151
“They are the friendliest looking ditities I know of, Buddhas – there is something about the big potbelly that encourages levity. You cannot imagine them smiting an idolater with a lightning bolt. 187
As we departed Lhasa, a train attendant popped in to explain the usage and mysteries of the oxygen-supply units. Outside, I watched a farmer plow his field with yaks. The sky was a deep blue and there was a full moon. I’m on Mars, I thought for the umpteenth time. But Michael Jackson’s “Heal the World” was wafting over the speakers. No, I realized, this was weirder than Mars. 309
This was the land of the epic Chinese films, an old land of heroes and beauty, a place that was both majestic and humble. That was nice. True, a polluted haze had settled in the valleys, but if you ignored it – and you must ignore the blighted air if you are to feel anything but despair for China – this pristine landscape with the picturesque villages was like a pastoral antidote to urban China. 313
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Jul 13, 2010 Lesley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I actually stole this review from audible.com, where I purchased this audio book.....
"J. Maarten Troost charmed listeners with his humorous tales of wandering the remote islands of the South Pacific in The Sex Lives of Cannibals and Getting Stoned with Savages. When the travel bug bit again, he took on the world's most populous and intriguing nation. As Troost relates his gonzo adventure... dodging deadly drivers in Shanghai, eating yak in Tibet, deciphering restaurant menus (offering local favo...more

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Jul 03, 2010 Susan Roy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Troost is posing as a travel writer writes a diary of his observations and his encounters which were funny and entertaining. However, I am not sure where his research information came from. He was lacking the discipline of meticulous research including fact checking and verification. Had he avoided his sidetracking into describing “facts and statistic” he would have been better off. (Or if he actually did his homework and got this information right it would have added to the book.) During the ti...more Troost is posing as a travel writer writes a diary of his observations and his encounters which were funny and entertaining. However, I am not sure where his research information came from. He was lacking the discipline of meticulous research including fact checking and verification. Had he avoided his sidetracking into describing “facts and statistic” he would have been better off. (Or if he actually did his homework and got this information right it would have added to the book.) During the time he spent in China, he probably talked to less than a dozen Chinese people although he made plenty of statements about the county and people. He did not speak the language so was only able to commute with a few select people who approached him. But with that in mind, he did what most people do when they go to China and his reactions are very easy to relate to. Overall it was a simplistic, surface view and judgment of the people and the country.
I did enjoy (and laugh) at his honest descriptions of his experiences. His descriptions of beggars, prostitutes, and haggling for everything were wonderful, as well as his descriptions and reactions to the beautiful parts of China. It was sad that China in its quest to become more capitalist has experienced the negative aspects (like massive air and water pollution) and has not yet come to realize the harmful effects of this massive pollution and the loss of the beauty of their country. I also found it sad that during the communist revolution so many priceless, beautiful things were destroyed in the attempt to get rid of the old. However, being good little capitalist the Chinese recognize that the tourists want to see antiquity so they just recreate it and tell tourist that is old, authentic even if the painters are painting the caves on the spot or the bridges are made of cardboard. I did admire Troost’s ability to go off the comfortable, beaten track traveled by most tourists and into the heart of the country. (I also admired his adventuresome spirit when he ate what the natives ate .)
I do recommend this books for light reading, but having said that, I grew tired of his bashing of the Bush-era politics throughout the book, especially considering that China, is one of the most extreme polluting countries, has the most controlling governments (Communist), there is much propaganda and no free speech or free press and China is guilty of some of the worst human rights violations in the world. (He is not an American citizen – but married an American. ) However in conclusion I did find the book entertaining but I will skip China and seriously consider travelling to Tibet.
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Mar 01, 2010 Sean rated it 5 of 5 stars

Martin Troost has written THE BEST description of what it is like to travel in China as an American/westerner that I have seen, heard or related to date. His hilarious exploits really describe the different personalities of China that one quickly comes to notice, and reading about his adventures has reignited my desire to keep traveling there – there are so many more places for me to go!

From eating live squid, fishing for tigers, wandering around Tibet and hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge to demonstra...more

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Dec 21, 2009 Spencer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you're planning on going to China, don't read this book. This cynical bitch has very little constructive to say about the place, and paints it pretty negatively. Sure, some of it is due. In the spare two weeks i spent (in only one city, i add), i can confirm that traffic is crazy, people hawk huge loogies on the street, and the pollution is pretty impressive. I'm certainly not as well traveled in the country as the author, but i don't find it anywhere as nasty as he did.

I think he read a bun...more

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Nov 28, 2009 Kathleen Hagen added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009-audio-books, 2009-nonfiction

Lost on Planet China: the Strange Story of One Man’s Attempt to Understand the World’s Most Mystifying Nation, or How He Became Comfortable Eating Live Squid, by J. Maarten Troost, narrated by simon Vance, produced by Blackstone Audio, downloaded from audible.com.

I can’t describe this better than the publisher’s note which I insert here:

J. Maarten Troost charmed listeners with his humorous tales of wandering the remote islands of the South Pacific in The Sex Lives of Cannibals and Getting
Stoned...more

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Jun 20, 2009 Babs rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've read Troost's two previous travel essay books - Sex Lives of Cannibals and Getting Stoned with Savages, both of which I enjoyed. So, I was very happy to see another Troost book and on China. This book was not quite as entertaining as the other two - perhaps because Troost is now married with two small children. :^) Or maybe, because as Troost claims, Planet China is a bit scary! Or it might be that in this book Troost is a visitor whereas in his other two books he lived "on location."

Person...more

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May 02, 2009 Lygia Bischoff rated it 5 of 5 stars

Did this for work. It was a fun read.

Lost on Planet China
Author - J. Maarten Troost
Reader – Simon Vance

Audio book Book
ISBN # 9871433248641 ISBN # 9870767922005
Bib # 1167945 Bib # 1165017

Troost states that in this book he “dodged deadly drivers in Shanghai, ate yak in Tibet, deciphered restaurant menus (offering local favorites such as Cattle Penis with Garlic), and visited with Chairman Mao (still dead, very orange).” This is not your common travel log with suggestions of what to see and do but...more

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Jan 26, 2009 Becki rated it 3 of 5 stars

I didn't really find the author as funny as the majority of readers seem to, and I think the book would have been more enjoyable (and shorter) without his running monologue. That might just be me, though. The book seemed to drag on, too, and the ending was disappointing.

That aside, much of this book is very valuable. I have never seen such good insights into Chinese culture. I was especially interested in the Chinese concept of what makes a successful country - namely, making millions of everyth...more

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About J. Maarten Troost

J. Maarten Troost is the author of The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific. His essays have appeared in the Atlantic Monthly, the Washington Post, and the Prague Post. He spent two years in Kiribati in the equatorial Pacific and upon his return was hired as a consultant by the World Bank. After several years in Fiji, he recently relocated to the U.S. and now lives with his wif...more

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Books by J. Maarten Troost

The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific

Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu

Headhunters on My Doorstep: A True Treasure Island Ghost Story

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“Don't get me wrong. Sacramento is a lovely place, particularly for those with a fondness for methamphetamines. For the meth-addled, Sacramento had conveniently placed a Greyhound bus station just yards from the statehouse where Austria's finest was sworn in as governor of the great state of California.” — 3 people liked it

“I had, of course, witnessed hundreds of people in a casino before, mindlessly dropping coins into slot machines. They don't play for money in America. It's true. The big payout is incidental to most gamblers. It's the numbness they're after. Not so in China. No one had that look of glazed stupor often found in American casinos.” — 1 person liked it

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