Beijing and Books

Beijing is super.

When I moved here little over five years ago, it wasn't that easy to find English language books. There was of course the huge store on Wangfujing and a few more scattered around the city where you could perhaps find some magazines, too.

These days it's very different. I like the Garden bookshop close to the post office on Jianguomen opposite all the embassies because even though it doesn't offer as large a variety as, say, the Bookworm in Sanlitun, it still has a couple of publications I haven't found in any other. Best of all there aren't too many people walking around which is what I enjoy best.

I say all this because I've bought (yet) more books during a trip aborad last week. And, sitting at home today, I'm making a silent (and now public) vow to create more time in my day each day to read what I have neglected over the past year.

Every morning I read at least two newspapers, scour the news headlines on the web and check the wire services just to make sure I'm up to date with what I need for work. I'm very good at this. perhaps, too good. Because, I have a mountain of books and magazines at home.

To remedy that, I'm going to prioritise by starting (and in some cases finishing) books that have been written by friends. Here is my list:

1. Valentino: Themes and Variations by Pamela Golbin (I went to the exhibtion in Paris last year folliwjng the designer's retirement. Absolutely fantastic. Ditto for the book.)

2. Business Republic of China by Jacques Le Blanc (Excellent reviews. And of what I've read so far, so easy and entertianing to get through.)

3. Children of the Night by Madsen Pirie (I've started, but haven't finished. Part of a trilogy of children's books by a very good friend.)

4. Soeharto: The Life and Legacy of Indoensia's Second President by Retnowati Abdulgani (I read a couple of chapters on the plane from Jakarta two weeks ago.)

By the way, I'm on Twitter... check my daily updates, program times and what I'm up to, Also, send me questions which I will TRY to answer! Click here...

www.twitter.com/jameschau

James

·本文只代表博友个人观点，版权归作者和央视网共同拥有，转载请注明作者及出处。