River Town

Two Years on the Yangtze

By: Peter Hessler

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

In the heart of China's Sichuan province, amid the terraced hills of the Yangtze River valley, lies the remote town of Fuling. Like many other small cities in this ever-evolving country, Fuling is heading down a new path of change and growth, which came into remarkably sharp focus when Peter Hessler arrived as a Peace Corps volunteer, marking the first time in more than half a century that the city had an American resident. Hessler taught English and American literature at the local college, but it was his students who taught him about the complex processes of understanding that take place when one is immersed in a radically different society.

Poignant, thoughtful, funny, and enormously compelling, River Town is an unforgettable portrait of a city that is seeking to understand both what it was and what it someday will be.

©2006 Peter Hessler (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Hessler's writing is lovely. His observations are evocative, insightful, and often poignant--and just as often, funny. It's a pleasure to read of his (mis)adventures. Hessler returned to the U.S. with a new perspective on modern China and its people. After reading River Town, you'll have one, too." (Amazon.com review)

Great inside look into China!

What did you like about this audiobook?

I liked this book because it made you really see Peter's life in Fuling.

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

I am currently living in Chengdu, China which is also in the Sichuan Province. I can relate to a lot Peter of what went through.

The Real China

Late '90s China through the eyes of an intelligent, thoughtful and disciplined Peace Corp volunteer who taught college English in Fu-Ling, China for 2 years. Never boring. Learned much about Chinese culture and the fears that keep it's people submissive and psychologically imprisoned.. We may all be a bit "imprisoned," but listening to this book made me grateful for our open society in its never ending search for solid truth.

Excellent book let down by poor narration

I really enjoyed this book. Having spent a year in China at about the same time referred to in this book, it brought back many memories of the China of that period. The author is a keen observer of daily life and an excellent writer. I also admired his courage in getting out among the people and his persistence in learning the language.

The narration of the story is quite another matter. The book is sprinkled with Chinese words and while the narrator can be forgiven for not pronouncing them all correctly, no attempt has been made to find out the correct pronunciation for even the most commonly used words, some of which are repeated literally hundreds of times throughout the book, always incorrectly. In addition, whenever the book quotes a Chinese person the reader goes into some weird accent, a bit like a caricature of a Mexican accent. I was left thinking that the narrator had probably never met a Chinese person in his life.

Definitely recommend.

This book is great. It took me a bit to get into it, but once I did I couldn't stop listening. Hessler does a great job making it interesting and sometimes funny while conveying a great deal of information. It is true that he presents his perspective and that it is sometimes biased, but he is clear and careful in acknowledging his biases. I think he does an amazing job tackling the Chinese culture and the challenges one has trying to understand it. I feel like I have learned a great deal from this book and look forward to listening to Oracle Bones which I've already bought on Audible.

Hidden gem

The description of this book does not do it justice. The diary of this young Peace Core volunteer captures so much that official books about China will miss. The culture and customs, the generosity and humour, the effects of years of indoctrination and the way a white person is viewed. His observations about everyday life and the country, coupled with his gift for vivid descriptions of places and situations make for a delightful and insightful listen. I loved the 'Home, home, safe, safe' sign. Peter Berkrot's narration is also wonderful and a joy to listen to. Five stars all around.

Interesting insight, fair oration

Though this narrative is almost 15 years old (Hessler worked for the Peace Corps in the late 1990's), and that seems a long time ago at the frantic pace of change in present day China, most of the observations seem relevant today, especially those addressing the human dimension. The narrator has a young 20s male voice, a bit on the nasal side, but reading at a lively and varied rhythm. He is great at making distinct voices for different characters. As is often the case with books on China, this reader mispronounces many Chinese names, but it's a minor issue. He has a good sense for dramatic pauses and for getting "in character." It's easy to mistakenly think that you're listening to the author himself.

Amazing book, terrible audiobook narrator

Phenomenal book and a classic on China. However, the narrator for the audiobook is barely tolerable. It sounds like yelling throughout the narration, imitations of female voices and Chinese accents distractingly terrible, and gross mispronunciations of all Chinese words/names/cities. Given that this book is famous in China research, they should have chosen a quality audiobook narrator who also had the bare basics of Chinese pronunciation.

Fascinating!

I love the story and the writing, but the narration seems i'll fitted. If I had to do over, I'd read it!

Life in rural china through a westerner's eyes

Would you listen to River Town again? Why?

Yes, I found it fascinating. The characters are engaging.

What did you like best about this story?

How you experience the change in the author's attitude towards the Chinese and living there during his time as a teacher.

What does Peter Berkrot bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Easy to listen to voice for narration

Personal memoir of teaching in China

If you could sum up River Town in three words, what would they be?

Still life Fuling

What did you like best about this story?

I liked learning what life is like for a foreigner in an average Chinese town. I was fascinated by how Hessler naturally developed a Chinese alter-ego as his language skills developed. I also enjoyed the subversive Don Quixote presentation in the last part of the book.

What about Peter Berkrot’s performance did you like?

His pronunciation of Mandarin.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Wouldn't have been able to--it's quite long! Besides, it isn't a story so much as an account. It has no plot since it is a memoir.

Any additional comments?

I am now listening to Oracle Bones and have Country Driving in my queue. Peter Hessler is a good writer and his descriptions of living and working in China are interesting.