Drinking and Driving in Urumqi by Andrew Demetre 20130503 Andrew Demetre 9780615766256 Books
Download As PDF : Drinking and Driving in Urumqi by Andrew Demetre 20130503 Andrew Demetre 9780615766256 Books
An arresting, evocative travelogue, Drinking and Driving in Urumqi is the debut nonfiction book by American author Andrew Demetre. A spirit of adventure and nimble prose carry the reader through a sudden, precarious night out into the obfuscated culture of the riot-scarred capital of Xinjiang, China's remotest province, as Demetre becomes the unmonitored, unofficial guest of a local family and Uyghur minority Chinese Communist Party members. Within a narrative mixing elements of memoir and reportage, the author balances a journalist's eye for detail with the sensibilities of a novelist and captures an evocative portrait of a place, a time, and its characters--most notably the troubled mood and texture of the wounded city, along with a captivating depiction of Rihangul, a liberated Uyghur woman straddling disparate worlds.
Drinking and Driving in Urumqi by Andrew Demetre 20130503 Andrew Demetre 9780615766256 Books
This might look like a short book but it is densely packed with travel stories and situations that are beyond the tame fetishized sanitary scenes in postcards and cute TV shows. 'DDU' is a gritty tale of holiday in survival mode and has upped the American abroad trope. Spend a weekend in Urumqi (pronounced Urm-chee)Product details
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Tags : Drinking and Driving in Urumqi by Andrew Demetre (2013-05-03) [Andrew Demetre] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. An arresting, evocative travelogue, Drinking and Driving in Urumqi is the debut nonfiction book by American author Andrew Demetre. A spirit of adventure and nimble prose carry the reader through a sudden,Andrew Demetre,Drinking and Driving in Urumqi by Andrew Demetre (2013-05-03),Strangers Gate Books,B01FEP4FMY,Travel - Asia, World Literature
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Drinking and Driving in Urumqi by Andrew Demetre 20130503 Andrew Demetre 9780615766256 Books Reviews
This is a fascinating journey into a world rarely seen as well as a lesson in exploring a far-off land. Moment to moment details abound so readers are able to feel as if they themselves are in the midst of this fascinating adventure. The reader can truly feel what it would be like to be suddenly absorbed in another culture and lifestyle with different beliefs, history, music, dance and art and also realize how despite those differences, people can find common ground. This book should be on every readers wish-list since it is quite descriptively written, concise, and filled with myriad discoveries and a bounding enthusiasm for both the spirit and risks of travel.
A non-fiction treat for lovers of "Road Fiction". 'Drinking and Driving in Urumqi' is a unique 24 hour upgraded bustling taxi ride in a city far, far away from home. It's motivated me to turn in my frequent flier miles and high tail it to the east with no return date in mind. A fun quick read, for sure.
A captivating story that takes you into the city of Urumqi; an unknown and far away part of the world filled with excitement and seemingly dangerous situations. You get caught by the author's style and his ability to keep you intrigued and wondering what's gonna happen next. After reading this book you can't stop feeling that the world is filled with amazing adventures - that can be lived in only 24hours and that can forever change your perspective of the world.
Writing in a persona somewhere between Candide and Sal Paradise, Andrew Demetre's short narrative doesn't quit its forward propulsion through urban festivities and earth-shaking events. Demetre begins in the familiar vein of the tourist in need of a cultural compass, but this very disposition allows him to reveal surprising and highly engaging details that defy an array of Western stereotypes about Asia -- especially in the story's setting, Ürümqi, a large and fascinating region that nonetheless remains little known in the West. For all those interested in the sort of travel writing that reads like a thriller, Demetre's fast-paced road novella is indispensable reading.
Giving me a window into a completely different world, this wonderful novella quickly took me outside my usual comfortable boundaries. In a relatively small number of pages, the author brought me into a world which does not have all the amenities, comfort and freedom which I take for granted on a daily basis. However, he provided an image of a culture foreign to me, which, in spite of, or perhaps because of, its lack of comforts and freedom, maintains a tradition of hospitality and respect which we have lost. As the author returned home, I felt truly disappointed to not have had more time to spend with our friends in Urumqi. My only criticism, if it could be called that, is that I would have preferred a longer format. The author gave us a few short subplots which I would have liked to know more about and found myself imagining what the other stories might have been once I had finished reading. I found myself reveling in the descriptive detail and would definitely recommend this book.
Drinking and Driving in Urumqi is an economical account of one night out abroad written in the first person, and indeed I felt like I was there with the author during his moment to moment experiences in the streets of that city. I won't write a synopsis, because a reader can "Look Inside" and figure out the premise, but I really enjoyed this book. It had some miniature epic qualities about it, and I enjoyed the writer's descriptive prose. The hard facts seem to be accurate, though the author seemed to take some artistic license in the way he presented them.
In the book Demetre goes to the Xinjiang region of China after some major riots without knowing much about the culture. He struggles, and at times falters to fill in the gaps of a cultural divide and a serious language barrier (sometimes recalling past episodes from his hometown to do so) to bond with his hosts Uyghur minority Communist Party officials who ostensibly want to show him a good time amid the post-riot cityscape. Toward the middle of the story I was left anticipating whether or not he would make it through the night, due to several diversions in the course of events, the author's weary travel delusions, not to mention the drinking activities, all of which created a nice tension.
Overall I enjoyed reading about the struggles of a free spirited New Yorker thrust into the pressures of a foreign culture while trying to negotiate a furtive cross-cultural relationship. Also, I didn't have much awareness of the Uyghur people and now I feel like I know enough to delve further.
I would look forward to getting future hopefully longer books by this author. He seems to have his own style. I think those who enjoy travel writing along the lines of Paul Theroux, Colin Thubron, or Mark Twain, would probably enjoy this book, though brief. People who enjoy memoir, or other adventure creative nonfiction might also enjoy it too. Eat, Pray, Love come to mind for some reason. Recommend.
This might look like a short book but it is densely packed with travel stories and situations that are beyond the tame fetishized sanitary scenes in postcards and cute TV shows. 'DDU' is a gritty tale of holiday in survival mode and has upped the American abroad trope. Spend a weekend in Urumqi (pronounced Urm-chee)
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