COUNTRY DRIVING

by Peter Hessler
An illuminating view of China's urbanisation with the mass migration of young people into fast growing industrial towns and cities resulting in the slow strangulation of  many rural communities. The writer, who lives in China, maps out these often distorting developments from his various car journeys as he travels into the countryside and villages, providing a glimpse of not only China and its inhabitants, but traditions and culture, and also the Chinese attitude and reaction to progress and their belief in community and Country over the needs of the individual. Corruption and party politics adds another layer to what is a very complex picture.  Tragic, farcical, humourous and fascinating - I loved it. Rules are made to be broken, the law is acknowledged but ignored and saving 'face' is paramount. It is very well written and easy to read.  A big book, but worth every minute.  Printed in 2010 so of immediate relevance.
I would love to give you a hundred quotes:  here is just one small excerpt picked randomly - the writer has been stopped by a group of police who are examining his American passport and Chinese driving license.

(condensed)

It looks just like a Chinese driving license!
It IS a Chinese license, I couldn't drive here with only my American license.
So, why are you here?
I'm just driving around, tourism.
How did you learn Chinese?
I've lived here for years.
You must be a spy, he said.  The others picked up the refrain, laughing.  He must be a spy, he's driving around, he speaks Chinese - he must be a spy! A spy!  A spy!
Shaking with laughter the cop returned my licenses. 
It took me a while to find my voice.  Is it okay if I continue?
Of course!
Driving away, looking through the rearview mirror, I could see them roughhousing on the side of the road.  The cops punched each other and laughed, a spy!  a spy!

[ Driving on, he gets stopped again, this time by a serious representative of Public security, who insists he must come with him to the Station as he is driving in a part of the Country where foreigners are not allowed. Being told at the station that the last foreigner caught was 'punished' he said the road police had given him permission to drive on...]
Of course they did! The Mongolian cop retorted. What do those guys know about anything?  They're just road police.  They're worthless!

After a lot of repetitive questioning and form-filling.... the female station supervisor said:
You have broken our national law regarding aliens in China .... we have to punish you.
What's the punishment?
You will be fined, the male cop said, and suddenly both of them grinned.  It was a certain Chinese smile that masks embarrassment and I found myself grinning too.
By law we can fine you 500 but since this is your first time, we will only fine you 100.
It was the equivalent of $12.   I put the cash on the table.  The moment they saw the cash they became very nervous. 
I must call our supervisor - we can't take cash.
Why not?
Because of corruption.  If it's cash there is no proof of the amount, so you are going to have to mail it.
We crossed the street to the Bank and I completed a transaction.  The Bank Manager announced it would arrive on Tuesday, pleased at this efficiency.  My $12 would reach the woman standing beside me in two days time.  Everyone was happy.  She shook my hand and wished me a good journey.  On the way back I again passed the traffic policemen, still goofing around at the side of the road, who shouted happily as I cruised past.
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I hope you all appreciated that!  I am wishing I had found a smaller example, and that was the condensed version.  But there was something to laugh at every other page, as well as the tragic and the fascinating. 
I liked this particular quote from a review:
"A fascinating portrait of a society tearing off into the future with only the sketchiest of maps."
And that is perhaps the overall impression, that they are making up the rules as they go along - learning 'on the hoof' how to be part of the 21st century, and running so fast they are going to overtake everybody before much longer because of their single-mindedness and sense of purpose.