South of the Clouds

Exploring the Hidden Realms of China

Nonfiction, Travel, Asia, China
Cover of the book South of the Clouds by Seth Faison, St. Martin's Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Seth Faison ISBN: 9781429973687
Publisher: St. Martin's Press Publication: April 1, 2007
Imprint: St. Martin's Press Language: English
Author: Seth Faison
ISBN: 9781429973687
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication: April 1, 2007
Imprint: St. Martin's Press
Language: English

South of the Clouds offers a fascinating, intimate portrait of China by telling the story of an American man who ventures into its hidden realms---romance, politics, the criminal underworld, and Tibet. As he matures from a wide-eyed student into a journalist and a seasoned observer, he develops a passion for uncovering secrets, about China and about himself.

The author navigates his way past forbidding walls to peek inside the dark corners of Chinese society, relying on a remarkable collection of friends and acquaintances who help guide the way: an embittered policeman in Xian, a gay professor in Shanghai, and a Buddhist monk in Tibet, who presides at an ancient burial ritual where the corpse is carved up and fed to wild vultures.

The Tiananmen Square massacre, people smuggling, and the Falun Gong movement are among the political and social upheavals that the author explains as he witnesses China's uncertain road toward capitalism and its place in the modern world.

Along his travels, the author wrestles with his own cultural identity, his sexuality, and his spiritual bearings. He finds an erotic outlet in the Chinese "Sauna Massage" and a stirring emotional connection with Jin Xing, a brilliant choreographer and China's first openly transsexual citizen. Ultimately, he discovers the answer to lifelong questions on a mountaintop in Tibet.

Seth Faison, with a subtle understanding of Chinese culture, brings past and present events to life in a thought-provoking account of this mysterious nation and its people.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

South of the Clouds offers a fascinating, intimate portrait of China by telling the story of an American man who ventures into its hidden realms---romance, politics, the criminal underworld, and Tibet. As he matures from a wide-eyed student into a journalist and a seasoned observer, he develops a passion for uncovering secrets, about China and about himself.

The author navigates his way past forbidding walls to peek inside the dark corners of Chinese society, relying on a remarkable collection of friends and acquaintances who help guide the way: an embittered policeman in Xian, a gay professor in Shanghai, and a Buddhist monk in Tibet, who presides at an ancient burial ritual where the corpse is carved up and fed to wild vultures.

The Tiananmen Square massacre, people smuggling, and the Falun Gong movement are among the political and social upheavals that the author explains as he witnesses China's uncertain road toward capitalism and its place in the modern world.

Along his travels, the author wrestles with his own cultural identity, his sexuality, and his spiritual bearings. He finds an erotic outlet in the Chinese "Sauna Massage" and a stirring emotional connection with Jin Xing, a brilliant choreographer and China's first openly transsexual citizen. Ultimately, he discovers the answer to lifelong questions on a mountaintop in Tibet.

Seth Faison, with a subtle understanding of Chinese culture, brings past and present events to life in a thought-provoking account of this mysterious nation and its people.

More books from St. Martin's Press

Cover of the book Outlaw: Part 1 by Seth Faison
Cover of the book Duke Most Wanted by Seth Faison
Cover of the book Ice Run by Seth Faison
Cover of the book Unidentified Woman #15 by Seth Faison
Cover of the book Into Oblivion by Seth Faison
Cover of the book Reptiles of North America by Seth Faison
Cover of the book Waiting for My Cats to Die by Seth Faison
Cover of the book Where We Go from Here by Seth Faison
Cover of the book Dangerous Seduction by Seth Faison
Cover of the book REPLY ALL...and Other Ways to Tank Your Career by Seth Faison
Cover of the book Vagabond by Seth Faison
Cover of the book The Proposition by Seth Faison
Cover of the book Death, Taxes, and Cheap Sunglasses by Seth Faison
Cover of the book Red Star Burning by Seth Faison
Cover of the book How to Talk to Your Child About Sex by Seth Faison
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy