Mike Meyer (China 1995-07) just published In Manchuria: A Village Called Wasteland and the Transformation of Rural China (don’t let the title frightened you away) and he just did himself, the Peace Corps, and everyone a great favor at the New York Public Library by giving an absolutely wonderful informative and honest presentation of his experiences in China as a PCV, and afterwards as a teacher living in Manchuria. If you can catch any of his readings and book signings that are coming up, please do, and read his new book, his first since his amazing book on the end of old Beijing.

Yesterday, Bill Preston (Thailand 1977-80) sent me the link to the NPR interview with Leonard Lopate where he talked about his book and his experiences as a PCV  in China. You can listen to it here:http://www.wnyc.org/story/privatization-transforms-rural-chinas-landscape

Really, do yourself a favor and try and catch Mike when he is in your town, and go up to him and say hello, tell him you’re an RPCV.

As Mike told his story of how he went to China with, I think, was with the second group in 1995, he had asked to be assigned by the agency to Latin America for he was fluent in Spanish….but, of course, the Peace Corps sent him to China. There he learned several Chinese languages and so far has written two wonderful books about the nation. I really urge you to see his presentation and slide show of both Beiling and northeast Manchuria. It is a wonderful, and education, and a treat. Lets hope that Peace Corps  HQ will send (at least) the China Desk Officer to the reading on Thursday at Politics and Prose. If you are in NYC you can see them tonight at the Asia Society

Wednesday at the Asia Society on Park Avenue. Tickets here:
http://asiasociety.org/new-york/events/chinafile-presents-michael-meyer-manchuria

Really, do yourself a favor and try and catch Mike when he is in your town, and go up and say hello.