Sounds of the river

In this second volume of memoir, following his acclaimed COLOURS OF THE MOUNTAIN. Chen arrives in Beijing. armed with a dogged determination to learn English and familiarise himself with 'all things Western', he must compete with every other student to win a chance to study in the US- a chance that rests in the shrewd and corrupt hands of the all- powerful professors. In this remarkable book- by turns poetic, ribald, hilarious, and heartbreaking- Chen retains his indomitable spirit, but will he be any closer to attaining his goal?