Lacking Cohesion But Pleasant

"In Manchuria" did not live up to my expectations. It's subtitle, "A Village Called Wasteland and the Transformation of Rural China," implies that there will be an intense discussion of a village undergoing modernization. Unfortunately, that discussion is only left to the words and experiences of two of the author's in-laws. Besides their experiences, we learn nothing of the village, despite the lovely and detailed map at the beginning of the book.

As the two in-laws discuss their village, we learn only that it used to be comprised of thatched huts before Eastern Fortune Rice arrived and started buying land. I would have enjoyed reading the stories of people who sold their land to the company or perhaps why certain people besides his in-laws held out. As it is, there isn't even an interview with someone from the company to learn about their plans or their motives.

"In Manchuria" is sometimes a travelogue, sometimes a history book, sometimes a memoir, and sometimes a comedy. Mostly it is a pleasant rant. It's as if the author, Michael Meyer, set out to write book before the material or the idea was fully cooked. Based in Wasteland, Meyer travels through the northeast, describing various historical facets and often criticizing the Chinese people whom he meets along the way because they do not have his background in history. There scant descriptions of The Great Leap Forward and its' resulting famine, but lengthy descriptions of the Willow Palisade and the bombing of a bridge by Americans during the Korean War.

The book includes endnotes, though they are not referenced in the actual book, making it frustrating for students of China to look up more information from the quotes or histories the author writes about.

On the plus side, the author has a good command of prose, even if there is little cohesiveness throughout the book. Because of this, I would like to read something from Meyer that focuses on a specific topic, such as the village itself or a defined chapter in Manchuria's history. ( )

Modern China From A Different Perspective Meyer’s book is a fascinating read for anyone interested in China. While most books concentrate on the large urban areas and their fast paced, congested pace of life, Meyer takes a different approach. He moves to the small village where his wife grew up in Northeastern China, and spends three years roaming around the area. Meyer interviews locals, learning their way of life and the historical events they have witnessed.Meyer is very talented in his ability to present this history in a relatable, interesting manner. He also shows how the rural areas of China are experiencing change, in that large agricultural companies are taking over the small family farms.I would highly recommend this book to people interested in China and how it is changing.  ( )

This is a fascinating and readable book that gives an excellent picture of life in a modern Chinese village and the new challenges its inhabitants face through modernization, as well as the traditional challenges posed by the climate. In addition, there is a good historical account of northeast China, previously called Manchuria, based around the author's travels and experiences in the region.
My only quibble about it is Meyer's affection for translating names without giving the original Chinese. To me, this is somewhat patronising, as, generally speaking, nobody bothers with the meaning of names in their own language. This quirk may be fine for the general reader, but is frustrating for anyone with a more serious interest in China and I rather hope that a future edition will provide names in both hanzi and pinyin. ( )

I read this with the hopes of data I could use in my novel research, and I ended up delighted with the book overall. This is one of several great travelogues/historical explorations I have read in recent years (Children of Kali by Kevin Rushby is worthy of note here). Meyer approaches the book with an American perspective, but as an American who is quite happy to immerse himself in other cultures. He lived for a year in his wife's native Manchurian village of Wasteland, while his wife is elsewhere, and explored the region by bus and rail.

Manchuria is one of the places that is always noted in World War II narratives as the place where Japan began their foray into mainland Asia. Meyer does an excellent job of showing a place with a vital role in history--the Manchu dynasty originated there--that was caught in a terrible 20th century tug-of-war between China, Japan, Russia, and Korea. Communism and the Cultural Revolution destroyed--and built--much more. Wasteland is undergoing a dramatic change in recent years as the home of a powerful rice corporation. The village is becoming something more, with the farmers of the past 50 years being nudged into massive apartment blocks so that their old, kang-heated shacks can become more rice paddies.

Meyer's chapters are easy to read, and the book goes by fast. I loved the historical information and how he portrayed it, but I was surprised to find myself falling in love with Wasteland and its residents. It's remote and bitterly cold much of the year (Siberia is right next door), but also a place of beauty that is even shown by the actions of a elderly local who plots where to sneakily plant her beloved poppy seeds along the main thoroughfare after the rice corporation repaves and modernizes the road. ( )

In Manchuria is part memoir, travelogue and history. It's interesting to see how rural China is changing and day to day life. Meyer writes in a bemused tone with an eye for the small ironies of life. There isn't much in the way of inner life and change, or reflection on the significance of what he sees. The history lectures, scattered, are random stories of war and deprivation of famous people and events. There's no larger story - it is up to you to piece it together. Nevertheless I knew next to nothing about Manchuria and so now have a basic understanding of the history, geography and people. ( )