China Dawn:  The Story of a Technology and Business Revolution
By David Sheff
ISBN 0-06-000599-8
2002 Harper Collins
Book Review by Geni J. White

A well-written, easy to read story of how Chinese businessmen try to build China, in spite of great personal sacrifices.

Edward Tian believes friendships help avoid misunderstanding, so he's wiring the nation with fiber-optic broadband cable.  Full access to information is his dream for China.

Bo Feng and Eric Li, Chinese venture capitalists, search for entrepreneurs and finance fledgling companies whose technology helps brings Chinese business and culture into the 21st Century.  Their dream, a growing middle class that can reduce poverty and bring nations together.

Wang Zhidong helped create a Chinese language operating system that rivals Windows and incorporates Chinese ways of thinking.  He led the formation of Sina, China's largest Internet company.  His dream, to unite Chinese people on every continent.

Chinese technologists work around and with a government that sometimes assists and sometimes hinders progress as they dream of a transformed world.

This book follows the struggles and victories of men promoting information technology.  The stories make their dreams sound exciting and possible.

David Sheff also wrote Game Over:  How Nintendo Conquered the World.

© 2008 Geni J. White

A Candle in the Dark:  Book Reviews

GOLDEN BOY:  Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood
By Martin Booth
ISBN 978-0-312-42626-2
2004 Picador Press
Book Review by Geni J. White

What gave a seven-year-old British boy courage to explore the Hong Kong of 1952 in places where no foreign child belonged?  Martin Booth felt safe among unusual friends, because Chinese people believed rubbing his golden hair brought luck.

Booth's superb prose pictures brothels, opium dens, Chinese drug-lord friends, forbidden temples and the wildlife and flora in Kowloon and Hong Kong.

Often lonely, Martin's independence was encouraged by correspondence with his grandfather in England.   He never told his parents about his explorations into forbidden and dangerous areas.

The boy also endured the hostilities between his bigoted, bureaucrat father and his out-going mother who was fascinated by Chinese culture.

The author called himself a "curious, somewhat devious, adventurous and street-wise child whose heart never left Hong Kong" after his father's job sent them back to England.

Anyone who likes biography, history, adventure, Chinese culture and beautifully written literature will enjoy this book.

© 2008 Geni J. White

A Candle in the Dark:  Book Reviews

Oracle Bones
By Peter Hessler
Book Review by Geni J. White

Peter Hessler's book evaluates Chinese history and present-day China.

Chapter 19 recounts Hessler's visit to Taiwan to meet an archeologist who excavated bones engraved with ancient Chinese script, and to visit Taiwanese politicians.

The archeologist moved to Taiwan in 1949, saving important artifacts from China's cultural revolution.  After years away from home, this gentleman wanted to live on the mainland again.  Like his generation, he wants Taiwan and China as one country.  However, native and  younger Taiwanese want independence.

One politician Hessler interviewed thinks increased trade will inevitably reunite Taiwan with China.  Another politician said Taiwanese democracy shows China the importance of freely elected governments.  A woman politician said Taiwanese democracy is the third world leader's manipulation of the constitution, to retain power and ignore nationals, except for their supporters.  She said free world democracy works because constitutions are more important than the leaders.

When older generations die, can native and younger Taiwanese keep Taiwan independent?   What might change with unification?

© 2008 Geni J. White

A Candle in the Dark:  Book Reviews

Taiwan, The Struggle of a Democracy
By James Keating
Book Review by Geni J. White

In Nanjing, the Spring of 2006, we listened to English channel TV news report on trips by President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiao—the man who never stopped smiling.

These men visited a number of small countries in Africa and many... 'stan' countries in Asia.  The political maneuvering was similar in each country—sign economic treaties and gain agreement with the 'One-China policy'.  That means, I believe, that each country probably would support China with their UN votes concerning the future of Taiwan. China clearly wants Taiwan.  They recognize the richness of this island nation.

In the book, author James Keating, who has lived in Taiwan many years, discusses Taiwanese attitudes towards domination by China. He thinks younger people will resist such a take-over. He believes that the older generation who moved from China decades ago want unification with their larger, powerful neighbor.  These older people will surely soon die out.  But who have they influenced that want power from China?

Keating’s arguments make good sense.

© 2007 Geni J. White

A Candle in the Dark:  Book Reviews