The notorious gangster Lai Changxing started out as an illiterate farmer, but in the tumult of Chinas giddy vibe and its darker vulnerabilities.
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Aug 22, 2007
John
rated it: 
a very readable and fascinating account of present-day china through the eyes of a british journalist (former bureau chief of the times) as he investigates the spectacular rags-to-riches rise and fall of lai changxing, a former farmer who made billions smuggling various goods like cars into mainland china. supposedly lai was able to smuggle so much into the country (and build large skyscrapers and his own folly of an exact replica of the forbidden city) because the gov't allowed him to (via a ma
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Oct 07, 2010
Becky
rated it:
Whole title:
“Inside the Red Mansion: On the Trail of China's Most Wanted Man”
I enjoy non-fiction about China today, usually travelogues of some sort like the ones by Peter Hessler or Rob Gifford’s China Road. They’re not great books but since I’ve been to China they’re just kind of interesting to me. - Like so this is how those people I saw all around live and think.
Inside the Red Mansion is a bit different (well - they’re all a bit different). August de More...
“Inside the Red Mansion: On the Trail of China's Most Wanted Man”
I enjoy non-fiction about China today, usually travelogues of some sort like the ones by Peter Hessler or Rob Gifford’s China Road. They’re not great books but since I’ve been to China they’re just kind of interesting to me. - Like so this is how those people I saw all around live and think.
Inside the Red Mansion is a bit different (well - they’re all a bit different). August de More...
Feb 03, 2009
Bettie
rated it: 
Unabridged and read by author. This may be construed as an example of over-writing by some but I find the digressions interesting and August's voice entirely easy on the ear. The court case in Vancouver put China on trial as much as Lai.
In 1999, shortly after arriving in Beijing as The Times 's China correspondent, Oliver August set out on the trail of China's most wanted man, Lai Changxing. An illiterate peasant from the coastal city of Xiamen,
Lai created his own shipping emp More...
In 1999, shortly after arriving in Beijing as The Times 's China correspondent, Oliver August set out on the trail of China's most wanted man, Lai Changxing. An illiterate peasant from the coastal city of Xiamen,
Lai created his own shipping emp More...
Jan 19, 2009
Andy
rated it: 
Inspired by Mr August's journalism style, I've been planning to write a book about Barack Obama. I'm going to wander around Chicago, catch a game at Wrigley field, eat some deep dish pizza, see if I can get into a taping of Oprah, and then suddenly realize Obama has gone to Washington D.C. I'll spend the final chapter comparing the pizza in DC to the pizza in Chicago, wondering how Obama is possibly going to govern a country with two such different interpretations of this classic Italian dish. I
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Dec 28, 2008
Adam
rated it:
If you're a journalist heading to China, I'd highly recommend this. Like the back says, the book is very detailed and gives you the same feelings the author had. It did take me longer to read it. The first few chapters were a bit slow but the story picked up and was easy to read. Gives a lot of history and background on Chinese culture.
Nov 17, 2008
Emily
rated it:
I admit to huge bias concerning China and suffered enormous trepidation at reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised when, upon cracking it open, I found that the author had not drunk the China kool-aid. This book is less about the corrupt fugitive himself and more about what he represents in the context of Chinese history, the crazy way politics and business blend into a mad mish mash of culture and society that makes for very amusing and bizarre anecdotes.
It's light reading for More...
It's light reading for More...
Nov 03, 2007
Corinne
rated it:
I picked this book up after reading an article by Oliver August in this month's <a href="http://www.wired.com>Wired maganizine</a> about web-censorship in China.
Inside the Red Mansion is more a story about China's rocky political transformation than it is about Lai, the fugitive the book is framed around. This book gives a vivid sense of living in the seedy underworld of China.
Inside the Red Mansion is more a story about China's rocky political transformation than it is about Lai, the fugitive the book is framed around. This book gives a vivid sense of living in the seedy underworld of China.
Aug 11, 2008
Cns
rated it: 
It's not the most exciting premise, but while the author is on the trail of the "most wanted man," he examines the lives of ordinary Chinese and how they are dealing with a new capitalist system. And he has a lesbian sidekick!
Oct 07, 2008
Rob
rated it:
I guess the book was interesting but could have been half the length. He didnt make any new points after about 100 pages. If you are interested in China it might be worth skimming.
Mar 12, 2008
Nicholas
rated it:
Interesting to learn more about daily life/biz in China but this story didnt need a whole book.
Jul 17, 2009
Danu
rated it:
Pengejaran berita tentang koruptor no.1 di Cina yang tiada henti dari penulis.
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