This audacious and illuminating memoir reflects on forty years oflearning about and interacting with the People's Republic of China, from the height of Maoism during the author's UC Berkeley studentdays in the volatile 1960s through globalization. Anecdotes illustratethe alternately peculiar, frustrating, fascinating, and risky activityof China watching – the process by which outsiders gather anddecipher official and unofficial information to figure out what'sreally going on behind China's veil of political secrecy andpropaganda. Baum writes entertainingly, telling his narrative withwitty stories about people, places, and eras. This is an enjoyable description of the personalities and politicalforces that shaped the modern field of China studies. | China Watcher by Richard Baum, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters