A fasinating new book gives a uniquely Irish perspective on the world’s emerging global superpower.
A FASCINATING new book gives a uniquely Irish perspective on the world’s emerging global superpower.
In An Irishman’s China Fr Teddy Collins takes the reader on a journey through this rapidly changing country – from rural Jiangxi Province to bustling Beijing and snowbound Manchuria.
A native of Skibbereen, Fr Collins spent 10 years in the country teaching at four different universities between 1997 and 2007 – a period of momentous change in China.
An Irishman’s China gives us an insight into everyday life in the country, from the colour and vibrancy of Chinese culture to what it’s like for an outsider trying to find his way in this bewildering world.
The book begins with Fr Collins’ experiences in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi Province, one of the most underdeveloped regions of the country where he taught in the late 90s.
From there he travels to wealthy and booming Beijing where he meets China’s new middle class and a flourishing Irish ex-pat community. From Beijing he heads north to the city of Changchun, capital of Jilin Province - formerly known as Manchuria.
Here he teaches at a university with more than 50,000 students, endures harsh winters and blisteringly hot summers.
An Irishman’s China is a remarkable first-hand account of one of the world’s most fascinating and varied countries as it transforms itself into the world’s economic powerhouse.
The book is on sale now in West Cork bookshops.
