Win a book and a glimpse of a weird new China
Lisa Brackmann's Rock, Paper, Tiger offers some of the most unexpected views you're likely to get of China short of visiting and hanging out with its squatters, scene-makers, disaffected artists, and others who struggle to stay one step ahead of the country's ruthless Now you can meet them by answering this skill-testing question: What Chinese scientist was recently greeted with a hail storm of shoes and eggs in his appearance at a Chinese university? What electronic landmark is he famous for?
First correct answer wins a copy of Rock, Paper, Tiger. Send answers plus a postal address to detectivesbeyondborders (at) earthlink (dot) net
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Lisa Brackmann was a member of my "Flags of Terror" panel at Bouchercon 2010. Read her thoughts on architecture, demolition, and community in today's China.© Peter Rozovsky 2011
Labels: contests, Lisa Brackmann
posted by Peter Rozovsky at 6:41 PM
17 Comments:
Fang Binxing, the Great Firewall creator, responsible for blocking websites and filtering searches.
I've noticed this one. Your description makes it sound quite interesting.
I have access, so I won't play the game.
Seana, it offers a view of China the likes of which I've never seen elsewhere.
And here's a bit of trivia: the protagonnist's occasional resorting to Starbuckses in China reflects the author's practice.
You're right, Solea, and here's the man himself. Send me a postal address, and I'll send you the book.
You know what rocks? Starbucks Via, the instant coffee. Don't leave home without it!
Lisa, I hear the next-generation of Starbucks Via will include a computer chip that plays an eclectic but never abrasive selection of jazz- and world-music-inflected pop plus actors who mispronounce doppio macchiato as badly as your local barista -- the complete Starbucks experience in one handy package!
You are too funny Peter. I thought she was gonna write, "You know what rocks? Freedom rocks!",
quickly followed by "Drill Baby Drill!"
Cleveland rocks!
My blog is blocked in China.
It's too scary, it seems.
Sign me up for the chipped version! I need those soothing smooth jazz sounds...
Truthfully, I go to Starbucks when I travel, especially in China because they make a reliable cup of coffee. I don't go to them much here (in California) because there are generally better local options.
Tales, all blogspot blogs are blocked in China. The Chinese government prefers blogs on local servers that they can easily censor. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube are all hard-blocked as well.
Solea, the odds of hearing "drill baby drill!" from my mouth are extremely small -- except perhaps directed to my dentist...
Tales, I guess I must be blocked in China, too, then. I wonder if I've ever cast eggs or shoes in a favorable light.
Lisa, I may have mentioned when the Sino-Starbucks axis came to light that I visited McDonalds the first time I was in Paris. (I was young then.) There is something to ne said for familiarity.
Sorry Lisa!
No worries, Solea! (said the woman who belongs to so many environmental orgs she needs a spreadsheet to track them...)
And Peter, I agree...and in the case of the Starbucks in RPT, it really is about the MC finding a familiar environment in times of crisis...cool world music jazz and all!
Lisa, Starbucks is a great avatar of American culture. A generation or two back, you'd have had to have your protagonist seek refuge in a dingy bar run by an enigmatic American ex-pat who made her uneasy but who had the advantage of speaking English.
That music thing -- Starbucks must do careful demographic research in choosing its music. The music is always cool enough that hipsters and NPR listeners can feel at home but never shocking or surprising. (I wonder how rigidly Starbucks world headquarters dictates the musical selection at individual outlets.)
I realized that reading a mystery novel taking place in China would be really cool. Thanks for this referral, I will check it out.
As the other Lisa, I too, have gone to starbucks in China as I knew someone working there would speak English and I could use the restroom. Plus, I knew what I would get. But I would never go in CA, or in France. (there's too many other better options)
Exactly. Starbucks has managed the difficult feat of making a four-dollar-plus cup of coffee comfort food.
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