Review by Choice Review
Gao (Univ. of Adelaide) has written a pleasant and insightful book about his hometown, a sequel to his earlier book Gao village (CH, Jan'00, 37-2850). That work recounted progress and disruptions since 1949, while this book continues the story 20 years later. Gao Village, in Poyang County, Jiangxi, was formerly very poor, though it has prospered since the late 1990s, largely because many residents have migrated to cities where they can earn higher wages. These migrant workers often reinvest considerably in their hometown, sometimes only through the purchase of a "show" house, though sometimes more substantially by developing local businesses. The author provides short accounts of some of these successes, including those of his brothers, attributing them to the free flow of capitalism. Expanded government services, meanwhile, have further improved village life, allaying the contrast with city life. Nevertheless problems persist: agriculture declines, the environment degrades, and the future is unclear. Though the book is hampered by its attempt to create a relatively affable portrait of the village, the author's deep knowledge of the community makes it a useful text for students of contemporary China and of modern rural development. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. --Eugene N. Anderson, emeritus, University of California, Riverside
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
