Street of Eternal Happiness : big city dreams along a Shanghai road / Rob Schmitz.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Schmitz, Rob, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Schmitz, Rob--Homes and haunts--China--Shanghai.

Schmitz, Rob.

Americans.

City and town life.

Neighborhoods.

Streets.

Shanghai (China)--Biography.

Shanghai (China).

Shanghai (China)--Social life and customs.

Shanghai (China)--Economic conditions.

Streets--China--Shanghai.

Neighborhoods--China--Shanghai.

City and town life--China--Shanghai.

Americans--China--Shanghai--Biography.

China--Shanghai.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

vii, 326 pages : maps ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Crown Publishers, [2016]

Summary:

"A narrative account profiling the ordinary men and women who live, work, and dream on the author's street in Shanghai, inspired by his enormously popular Marketplace series of the same name"-- Provided by publisher.

"An unforgettable portrait of individuals who hope, struggle, and grow along a single street cutting through the heart of China's most exhilarating metropolis, from one of the most acclaimed broadcast journalists reporting on China today. Modern Shanghai: a global city in the midst of a renaissance, where dreamers arrive each day to partake in a mad torrent of capital, ideas, and opportunity. Marketplace's Rob Schmitz is one of them. He immerses himself in his neighborhood, forging deep relationships with ordinary people who see in the city's sleek skyline a brighter future, and a chance to rewrite their destinies. There's Zhao, whose path from factory floor to shopkeeper is sidetracked by her desperate measures to ensure a better future for her sons. Down the street lives Auntie Fu, a fervent capitalist forever trying to improve herself with religion and get-rich-quick schemes while keeping her skeptical husband at bay. Up a flight of stairs, musician and cafe owner CK sets up shop to attract young dreamers like himself, but learns he's searching for something more. As Schmitz becomes more involved in their lives, he makes surprising discoveries which untangle the complexities of modern China: A mysterious box of letters that serve as a portal to a family's--and country's--dark past, and an abandoned neighborhood where fates have been violently altered by unchecked power and greed. A tale of 21st century China, Street of Eternal Happiness profiles China's distinct generations through multifaceted characters who illuminate an enlightening, humorous, and at times heartrending journey along the winding road to the Chinese Dream. Each story adds another layer of humanity and texture to modern China, a tapestry also woven with Schmitz's insight as a foreign correspondent. The result is an intimate and surprising portrait that dispenses with the tired stereotypes of a country we think we know, immersing us instead in the vivid stories of the people who make up one of the world's most captivating cities"-- Provided by publisher.

Modern Shanghai is a global city in the midst of a renaissance. Dreamers arrive each day to partake in a mad torrent of capital, ideas, and opportunity. Schmitz is one of them. Follow him as he immerses himself in his neighborhood, forging deep relationships with ordinary people who see in the city's sleek skyline a brighter future, and a chance to rewrite their destinies. The result is an intimate and surprising portrait that dispenses with the tired stereotypes of a country we think we know.

Contents:

Street of Eternal Happiness, No. 810 : CK and the system

Maggie Lane : better city, better life

Street of Eternal Happiness, No. 109 : hot and noisy

Street of Eternal Happiness, No. 169 : re-education

Street of Eternal Happiness, Lane 682, no. 70 : box of letters

Street of Eternal Happiness, No. 169 : Auntie Fu's get-rich-quick plan

Street of Eternal Happiness, No. 109 : bride price

Street of Eternal Happiness, No. 810 : cultured youth

Maggie Lane : dreams, seized

Street of Eternal Happiness, Lane 682, No. 70 : escape

Street of Eternal Happiness, No. 169 : zero risk

Street of Eternal Happiness, No. 109 : country wedding

Street of Eternal Happiness, No. 810 : CK's pilgrimage

Home

Chinese dreams.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 316-322) and index.

ISBN:

9780553418088

0553418084

OCLC:

934705650

Online:

Cover image