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171st out of 804 books
—
656 voters
Foreign Babes in Beijing: Behind the Scenes of a New China
Determined to broaden her cultural horizons and live a “fiery” life, twenty-one-year-old Rachel DeWoskin hops on a plane to Beijing to work for an American PR firm based in the busy capital. Before she knows it, she is not just exploring Chinese culture but also creating it as the sexy, aggressive, fearless Jiexi, the starring femme fatale in a wildly successful Chinese so...more
Paperback, 352 pages
Published
April 17th 2006
by W. W. Norton & Company
(first published May 9th 2005)
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Don't let the title and the cover fool you, because this book is not as salacious as it sounds. (Aside: This was the first book I put on hold at my library, and when the librarian handed it to me, she was all, "Woohoo, look at those fishnets! I thought it said 'Foreign Babies' but I guess not." She thought I was some kind of pervert. While that may be true, she did not have evidence of it in her hand at the time.) This is the true story of the author, who went to Beijing in 1995 to work for a PR...more
As memoirs go, this story of a recent Columbia grad who ends up starring as a Western hussy in China's most popular soap opera is a fascinating one. I learned a lot about what modern day life in China is like from this book. It was particlarly shocking for me to read that some people there don't keep journals out of fear what they write might be used against them by the government. Still, the tone did get a little academic for me at times and I wish the author had included more of her own person...more
So this girl graduates college and goes to China to work for an American PR firm, but also gets cast in a cheezy Chinese sitcom (same title as the book) about slutty American chicks and how badly they long for Chinese guys. It's watched by like 40 million people. I'd give the book 5 stars but she doesn't string out the sitcom storyline long enough. Her cultural reflections and stories about Chinese friends are great and illuminating, but they can't compare (in my eyes) to the stories about the s...more
2 likes · like · see review
This was our book club selection this month and the it came highly touted. It was a very interesting story.
Rachel DeWoskin moves to Beijing after graduating college in the mid=90s and lands a job at a PR company. She also wins a role on a Chinese TV show as one of two foreign girls who steal the hearts of two Chinese brothers. The show is ultimately watched by 600 million people. We saw some of it online and it's pretty much the cheesiest thing ever.
DeWoskin also talks about two other critical e...more
Rachel DeWoskin moves to Beijing after graduating college in the mid=90s and lands a job at a PR company. She also wins a role on a Chinese TV show as one of two foreign girls who steal the hearts of two Chinese brothers. The show is ultimately watched by 600 million people. We saw some of it online and it's pretty much the cheesiest thing ever.
DeWoskin also talks about two other critical e...more
When I travel, I like to bring a book with me that would be considered "light reading." I picked up FOREIGN BABES IN BEIJING because it was described as a "Sex and the City" set in China on the dust jacket. The author moves to Beijing to work in PR and suddenly finds herself on a Chinese soap opera called "Foreign Babes in Beijing." Sounds fun, right?
As I started to read it on the airplane, I was suddenly transported back to my freshman foreign governments class in college. I wasn't expecting a...more
As I started to read it on the airplane, I was suddenly transported back to my freshman foreign governments class in college. I wasn't expecting a...more
When I first saw the title of the book, Foreign Babes in Beijing, I didn’t know what to expect. Its cover was racy but facetious. I was confused about the title. Was it implying local Chinese women weren’t babes?
The first few chapters cleared up the confusion. This non fiction book is about the author, Rachel, and her first few years as an expatriate in China. Foreign Babes in Beijing is actually the title of a Chinese soap opera she acted in.
I had read and grown tired of the usual books I read...more
The first few chapters cleared up the confusion. This non fiction book is about the author, Rachel, and her first few years as an expatriate in China. Foreign Babes in Beijing is actually the title of a Chinese soap opera she acted in.
I had read and grown tired of the usual books I read...more
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I'm glad that I didn't judge this book by its cover, although I cannot deny that the shapely pair of fish-netted legs did catch my attention. Truth is this book is far less sensually provocative than it is evocative of expatriate life in the heart of an awakening economic powerhouse. Rachel DeWoskin's memoir about her adventures as a 20-something college grad working in Beijing for an American PR firm paints a vivid portrait of life as a foreigner in China during the 1990s.
Rachel is not just yo...more
Rachel is not just yo...more
I liked this book a lot. China in the 1990s was a special place and Rachel DeWoskin had the good luck to be involved with a very interesting group of people. I'm married to a Chinese musician, and many of his tales of that period of time are similar to what DeWoskin talks about in her book. For that alone, and the fact that I somewhat know the feeling of being a "foreign babe" in China, I found it easy to relate to her book. China memoirs aren't that uncommon, but I was excited to come across on...more
**Edited to say that I totally dropped this down to two stars. I've read/been reading solid three-star books since then, and realized how much more I disliked this one compared to them, so two stars is a truer reflection of how I felt about it.**
This is purely in the "meh" category. I never really got who DeWoskin was throughout the thing, and found myself super bored - especially considering that the story should have been really interesting. I'm not sure how long after the events it was that s...more
This is purely in the "meh" category. I never really got who DeWoskin was throughout the thing, and found myself super bored - especially considering that the story should have been really interesting. I'm not sure how long after the events it was that s...more
On the Lonely Planet China recommended reading list
The upside was that the author's experience in China comes across as quite believable. Also, her writing was reasonably free of superlatives for a 20-something.
The downside was that the plot wasn't very interesting aside from the cultural experiences.
The best line of the book is during an argument between Rachael and some Chinese friends one day after the NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, about whether the bombing was intentional...more
The upside was that the author's experience in China comes across as quite believable. Also, her writing was reasonably free of superlatives for a 20-something.
The downside was that the plot wasn't very interesting aside from the cultural experiences.
The best line of the book is during an argument between Rachael and some Chinese friends one day after the NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, about whether the bombing was intentional...more
I found this book on the shelves of the One World Library Project and wasn't quite sure what to expect from the title. What a happy surprise! Turns out "Foreign Babes in Beijing" is the title of a popular sexy TV soap opera in China in which the author becomes an unexpected star, a "foreign babe", in the series.
DeWoskin went to China for an adventure with only two years of college Mandarin under her belt and a job lined up working for an American PR firm. Her five years in Beijing in the 90s ca...more
DeWoskin went to China for an adventure with only two years of college Mandarin under her belt and a job lined up working for an American PR firm. Her five years in Beijing in the 90s ca...more
This is a fascinating true story. Rachel DeWoskin moved to Beijing in 1994 and was cast in a Chinese TV drama shortly afterwards. She writes about her increasing understanding of China and what it means to be an American there during a period of rapid change, which is interesting enough. On top of this, she becomes a celebrity as the show airs, and finds herself surrounded by intrigued Beijingers. She deals with the "fish in a bowl" feeling of having the Chinese scrutinize her every move and ass...more
It was in interesting story of how China changed in the final decade of the twentieth century, especially coming from woman too. The way DeWoskin wrote somewhat reflected how I felt when living abroad (less problem with the language though!) Her style of writing humorous and full of trying to look on the bright side of things, despite being frustrated by many things that were so foreign to her. Of course in the end she had to just laugh them off.
When she finally left, it was kind of a sad thing...more
When she finally left, it was kind of a sad thing...more
This was a good book, except that at points it got away from the Story by adding too many historical facts. That being said, if anyone wants to know what it's like to live in Bejing, they will be able to understand after reading this book.
Just so you know, the name of the book is the name of a soap opera the author acted in, kind of as a fluke. She was in China working in marketing, and stumbled upon the opportunity to act. She is really good at being real and explaining the faults she had as an...more
Just so you know, the name of the book is the name of a soap opera the author acted in, kind of as a fluke. She was in China working in marketing, and stumbled upon the opportunity to act. She is really good at being real and explaining the faults she had as an...more
This was my first voluntary non-fiction read. I happened onto it on a book rack at work. In the book, author Rachel Dewoskin recounts her time living in 20th century China, where she is hired to star in a popular Chinese soap opera while working at a P.R. firm in Beijing. It is filled with quirky anecdotes of cultural clashes and things lost in translation. Although Dewoskin is a mediocre writer at best, I enjoy the refreshing lack of political commentary, which infiltrates almost all Western bo...more
A fascinating memoir of life in Beijing during the last half of the 1990’s. Rachel DoWoskin had just graduated from college with a degree in English and a love of poetry when she moved to Beijing to take a job that didn’t completely suit her, working for a PR firm trying to persuade the Chinese to try donuts and other western products. In the five years that she was there she also starred in a popular Chinese soap opera, lived in illegal foreign housing and made many Chinese friends who ranged f...more
The average rating on this book is 3.5, and that seems about right to me. I'm sorry, Ms. DeWoskin, for rounding that down to 3. An entertaining tale of somebody who sort of kept "ending up" - ended up living in China, ended up helping multinational brands to refine their image in China, ended up starring in a Chinese soap opera. Some good cultural insights, and the clip she has on her website of the show is a good companion after reading about her experience. Let's just say, I enjoyed it, but it...more
This is a memoir about an american girl who goes to live in beijing for five years after college. she works for a PR firm and also ends up acting in a chinese miniseries called foreign babes in beijing. this book starts out boring, then gets more interesting, and then boring again. i liked learning about the differences in culture, and all the expatriots that live over there...i thought it would give me some more insight into the chinese culture than it has. overall a good, not great, book. Oh,...more
I first heard of Rachel DeWoskin a few weeks ago, when I picked up her one of her works of fiction, "Big Girl Small", which I loved. I immediately looked up other books by DeWoskin and discovered that she had written a memoir about her time living in China in the mid-90's. The title of her memoir "Foreign Babes In Beijing" refers to the title of the very popular Chinese soap opera that DeWoskin found herself cast in as Jiexi, an all American girl and temptress to one of the married Chinese male...more
Sep 11, 2007
Shanti
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone moving or having just moved to China
Shelves:
non-fiction
So far, I think this book is interesting because I relate to many of the heroine's experiences; I've been living in Beijing for the past 5 months. However... I'm not terribly swept away by the story; that may be because the book is more of an observation or diary, in my opinion.
I am learning some new vocabulary from her - Chinese vocabulary.
The night I met Cui Jian, I came home, took a shower, and opened up this book to read the section where she describes a character, Kate's infatuation for t...more
I am learning some new vocabulary from her - Chinese vocabulary.
The night I met Cui Jian, I came home, took a shower, and opened up this book to read the section where she describes a character, Kate's infatuation for t...more
Very insightful read about a true-life expat who ends up with an inside account of a culture in extreme transition. I was very entertained once I passed the first 50 pages. Her insightful accounts of particular interactions with china, its culture, and its people was a refreshingly different take, particularly since she ended up as a soap opera star in Beijing in the process. Would certainly recommend for those interested in a China changing so fast that her account is already out of date.
I read this right before my semester abroad in Beijing and really enjoyed it. Some aspects I ended up really relating to, some things are phenomena of the past. But the story is well-written and compelling, though a little more grim and less light-hearted towards the end than i was expected. But I guess you can't help that when it's a memoir and not a work of fiction. A worthwhile read for any lao wai or people just interested in life adapting to a new culture.
I love to read books on the exercise bicycle in the gym. No computer, and it totally makes me look forward to the workout. I read most of this book on the exercise book and laughed so loudly in places that people were looking at me funny. Like some other books on China, it's hard for me to say how people who have not spent a certain amount of time there will react, but for me, it was a really enjoyable, and relatable, read.
I enjoyed this! Not chick lit at all...you learn a lot about Chinese history and culture! It follows Rachel's years in Beijing, fresh out of college in the US, as she works in PR and lands a spot on a popular Chinese soap opera called Foreign Babes in Beijing. She navigates through customs and traditions, dates Chinese friends, befriends Chinese girls and other expatriates for 5 years. I learned a lot about China!
An entertaining and poignant look at the life of a American in Beijing in the mis-90's. As a recent college grad, the author stumbles her way into a lucrative job and then is cast as a "Foreign Babe" on a Chinese soap opera.
Filled with good insights into US-Chinese relations during a period of change. Well-written and left me wanting more stories of her experience.
Filled with good insights into US-Chinese relations during a period of change. Well-written and left me wanting more stories of her experience.
An entertaining book about a young American woman's everyday life in China. It's interesting to read about Rachel's relations to people in her surroundings, for example her work colleagues (what's accepted to do, to say and what is not). She describes communication differences and difficulties, and often it's a funny read. The author also takes China's politics and history into account, and places situations in relation to certain events. In that way the book is a part, and a result, of a life s...more
I did want to read this book to the end, but my guess is that it is a biased viewpoint of China, as it is only from her perspective,and was written in 90's, im sure things have changed a lot since then. It depicts Chinese stereotypes of foreigners really well, and vice versa, enjoyed reading it to get an idea of what to expect from people when I visit China.
I wish I'd read this seven years ago, when DeWoskin's experiences were closer in time. She's a good writer and this is a good read but I wonder what has changed about the status of Americans in China in the nearly 20 years past that she writes about.
If I wanted to get a hang of what's going on now, I'd look for more recent experiences.
If I wanted to get a hang of what's going on now, I'd look for more recent experiences.
Yeah, the cover/title is awful (let's not kid ourselves, both are very telling), and yeah, the premise is unoriginal. But, I mean, RDW is a Columbia vegetarian with nothing better to do than move to Beijing; and while a similar book in New York would would have been balderdash, in China it strikes me as a remarkable coincidence. And it's funny.
I borrowed this book from a savvy lady who like Dewoskin, also spent over 5 years in Beijing as a 'laowai yang niu', albeit in a less open era. Amazingly enough, this book is beginning to feel a little outdated the rate of change in Beijing is almost incomprehensible. Think of it as 19th Cen. New York. I have to stress how wonderfully well the author writes on the never changing role of other and the finding of a new 'self' in another culture. Anyone who has dealings with China in business would...more
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Rachel DeWoskin is the author of Foreign Babes in Beijing, a memoir about her inadvertent notoriety as the star of a Chinese soap opera, and a novel, Repeat After Me. She lives in New York City and Beijing and is at work on her fourth book, Statutory.
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:-) Does she now?
Jun 25, 2009 07:21pm
:-) Does she now?"
Oh my goodness!
Jun 25, 2009 07:41pm