A Blue Moon in China

In this coming-of-age memoir, short-story writer Pilar recalls the wide-eyed curiosity and naiveté of an young adult traveling abroad in China, looking for adventure, independence, and a sense of self. More than two decades ago at the age of 21 and following a romantic break-up, the author took planes, trains, and buses (“beat-up, rickety, shacks-on-wheels”) to burgeoning places such as Guangzhou, Yangshuo and Beijing. She fancied herself “Alice in Wonderland on a curious adventure,” but, to no surprise, the frenzied reality of the country unnerved her. The author weaves bits into the narrative about the Cultural Revolution, Mao Zedong, and the Red Guards, “30 million strong,” as well as the Great Leap Forward, offering insights from an outsider’s perspective. Pilar’s describes her disgust at seeing a “man cough up and spit out a rather large wad of yellowish-brown gunk,” not realizing until much later the effects of poor air quality on people’s health. In an outdoor market, she is horrified at the sight of live chickens, snakes, and turtles, seemingly unaware of the importance of fresh ingredients in traditional Chinese cooking. Readers can only hope the perpetuation of stereotypes represents the author’s youth. Photos. [em](Nov.) [/em]