British journalist J.O.P. Bland, described as "the best-informed Westerner on China in the world", promises a "record of idleness", of leisurely cruises through the backwaters of the Chinese countryside. But he brings us much more. Through his account of wanderings in the time-trapped heartland of China and his personal encounters with the locals in the very early 20th century, Bland offers deep and colorful insight into the East-meets-West riddle in the ancient empire's last days. 978-988-8107-83-4