Reviews of Unsavory Elements

I have gotten good feedback on compiling reviews for a book (example: “Reviews of Deng Xiaoping in Review“).  So here is another one – today for Unsavory Elements: Stories of Foreigners on the Loose in China. Some of these reviews (as well as the comments they triggered) are surely interesting to read.

I also plan to write a review myself, and I can tell you beforehand that I honestly enjoyed reading most of the book. But since translation issues will be beyond the scope of my review, here I’d like to briefly discuss the translation of two Chinese phrases, which I happened to encounter in two of my favorite stories in the book. 

“思想汇报” — in the book it’s translated as “thinking reports,”  but “thought reports” might be more accurate, and read better.

“哪里哪里” — as a modest response to praises, this is humorously translated as “Where? where?” in the book.  If you have read my posts on translation before, you would know I’m often in favor of literal translation, but here I agree with one of the book reviewers below that “Nah, nah” would be a better rendition. Note also that the question marks don’t exist in the original Chinese phrase. As a bilingual reader I enjoyed and appreciate the writer’s humor, but for English readers who don’t know Chinese the confusion caused by  “Where? where?” might trump the humorous effect.

Now, here is my compilation of reviews, including two interviews, in reverse chronological order of their publication dates –

The Peking Duck, Sept. 13, 2013
http://www.pekingduck.org/2013/09/unsavory-elements-edited-by-tom-carter-2/

Caixin Online, Aug. 24, 2013
http://english.caixin.com/2013-08-24/100573568.html

TheNanfang.com, July 22, 2013
http://www.thenanfang.com/blog/unsavory-elements-and-the-changing-nature-of-being-an-expat-in-china/

That’s,  June 17, 2013
http://www.thatsmags.com/beijing/articles/15499

Chengdu Living, June 1, 2013

http://www.chengduliving.com/unsavory-elements-in-chengdu/

The Beijing Cream, May 21, 2013
http://beijingcream.com/2013/05/unsavory-elements-the-good-the-bad-and-the-boring-foreigners-of-china/

Beijing Bookworm: “A Q&A with Tom Carter”
http://beijingbookworm.com/between-the-stacks/unsavory-elements-a-qa-with-tom-carter/

Time Out Shanghai, May 10, 2013
http://www.timeoutshanghai.com/features/Books__Film-Book_reviews/11883/Unsavory-Elements.html

The Beijinger, May 9, 2013
http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2013/05/09/book-review-unsavory-elements-stories-foreigners-loose-china