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Larry's Kidney: Being the True Story of How I Found Myself in China with My Black Sheep Cousin and His Mail-Order Bride, Skirting the Law to Get Him a Transplant--and Save His Life
“One of the funniest, most touching and bizarre nonfiction books I’ve read.”
—Boston Globe
Larry’s Kidney is Daniel Asa Rose’s wild-and-crazy memoir about his trip to Beijing, China, to help his black-sheep cousin Larry receive an illegal kidney transplant, collect a mail-order bride, and stop a hit-man from killing their uncle. An O. Henry Prize winner, a two-time recipient of PEN Fiction Awards, and a 2006 National Endowment for the Arts Literary Fellow, Rose has written “a surprisingly fun, and moving, book with resonance” (Chicago Tribune).
—Boston Globe
Larry’s Kidney is Daniel Asa Rose’s wild-and-crazy memoir about his trip to Beijing, China, to help his black-sheep cousin Larry receive an illegal kidney transplant, collect a mail-order bride, and stop a hit-man from killing their uncle. An O. Henry Prize winner, a two-time recipient of PEN Fiction Awards, and a 2006 National Endowment for the Arts Literary Fellow, Rose has written “a surprisingly fun, and moving, book with resonance” (Chicago Tribune).
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 12, 2009
63 people are currently reading
750 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Asa Rose
9 books123 followersAuthor of "LARRY'S KIDNEY: Being the True Story of How I Found Myself in China With my Black Sheep Cousin and his Mail-Order Bride, Skirting the Law to Get Him a Transplant ... and Save His Life" (Morrow). Called A satisfying, hysterical page-turner that will captivate fans of travel writing and family narratives, with special interest for anyone who's helped a love one through serious illness. Publishers Weekly (starred review) "
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
June 26, 2016
In this amusing, fascinating and aggravating memoir, Daniel Rose tells, in highly comedic tones, of his adventure in China attempting to find a kidney for his dying cousin. Frankly, Larry is so annoying that I was tempted to put the book down, a rare event indeed. But I hung in and I am glad that I did. You will not come to love Larry, probably not even like him. But you will enjoy and learn from Rose’s portraits of China.
It is remarkable how the pair stumbles their way into an actual kidney. It is also alarming how it is obtained. That issue is addressed in the book, and dispensed with by noting that when it comes to family people will be more than willing to sideswipe a few ethical considerations. It is a dark stain that permeates this otherwise upbeat story. I suppose it is honorable that the subject is addressed head on. But still…
That major consideration noted, Rose tells a tale with diverse and interesting characters, Larry heading the list, with several locals occupying prominent roles. Can the people Larry and Dan encounter really be that considerate? Well, maybe. Some, of course, might be con artists, potential kidnappers or government informants and that adds spice to the tale. You will get a picture of China quite different from what one might catch in Olympic coverage. My favorite part of Rose’s travel log was his late night walks through the city in which the transplant was to be done. Those were magical. He does not fail to note that the stinging pollution dissolved his contact lenses. The book is, at times, laugh out loud funny. Not as much, I believe, as it hopes to be. But it is definitely an amusing read. He offers insightful observations about China, people, himself, others, the sort of thing you would want a thoughtful person to offer about a foreign experience. And his relationship with his cousin holds its own mysteries and its own growth. Frankly, these were of less interest than the portraits he paints of the place and the people. It is a worthwhile read, but there are times when you may want to hold your ethical nose.
=============================EXTRA STUFF
June 22, 2016 - Medical tourism has extended to stem cell treatments. This eye-opening NY Times article looks at what happened to one wealthy medical tourist with more money than good sense - A Cautionary Tale of ‘Stem Cell Tourism’ by Gina Kolatajune
It is remarkable how the pair stumbles their way into an actual kidney. It is also alarming how it is obtained. That issue is addressed in the book, and dispensed with by noting that when it comes to family people will be more than willing to sideswipe a few ethical considerations. It is a dark stain that permeates this otherwise upbeat story. I suppose it is honorable that the subject is addressed head on. But still…
That major consideration noted, Rose tells a tale with diverse and interesting characters, Larry heading the list, with several locals occupying prominent roles. Can the people Larry and Dan encounter really be that considerate? Well, maybe. Some, of course, might be con artists, potential kidnappers or government informants and that adds spice to the tale. You will get a picture of China quite different from what one might catch in Olympic coverage. My favorite part of Rose’s travel log was his late night walks through the city in which the transplant was to be done. Those were magical. He does not fail to note that the stinging pollution dissolved his contact lenses. The book is, at times, laugh out loud funny. Not as much, I believe, as it hopes to be. But it is definitely an amusing read. He offers insightful observations about China, people, himself, others, the sort of thing you would want a thoughtful person to offer about a foreign experience. And his relationship with his cousin holds its own mysteries and its own growth. Frankly, these were of less interest than the portraits he paints of the place and the people. It is a worthwhile read, but there are times when you may want to hold your ethical nose.
=============================EXTRA STUFF
June 22, 2016 - Medical tourism has extended to stem cell treatments. This eye-opening NY Times article looks at what happened to one wealthy medical tourist with more money than good sense - A Cautionary Tale of ‘Stem Cell Tourism’ by Gina Kolatajune
April 21, 2019
The title alone explains most of the plot so I'm just going to share some of the story's jokes with you
The new Beijing
Ole BJ has been buttered and Botoxed for the Olympics. Once a low-lying labyrinth of grainy neighborhoods, it now reminds me of Kryptonopolis in the early Superman comics, a futuristic metropolis with soaring trains and heatstroke-inducing architecture.
Instead of those grandmothers you could still see a quarter century ago shuffling through the rag stalls with bound feet, movie starlets with French pedicures are mobbing the malls, impatiently stamping their designer sandals. The tour guides have changed, too—twenty-five years ago they were tight-lipped and severe, hiding their little hair buns in gray Mao caps. By contrast, the luxurious Yuh-vonne from Happy-Go-Luck Travel bounces flirtatiously, with nuclear pink highlights in her pageboy that’s like the mane of a punk thorough-bred.
Street signs
“Larry, are you okay?”
“Not really, Dan. I’m upset, I’m confused, I can’t even read the street signs.”
“That’s because they’re in Chinese, Larry.”
Friendly spies
The cloak-and-dagger stuff was so primitive as to be borderline funny. One evening twenty-five years ago, I came back from a banquet early to use my bathroom and actually caught a sweating hotel clerk with his hands in my luggage, feverishly planting a bugging device. Later he tried to gain my good graces by giving me a bottle of sticky-sweet Shandong wine. I was so taken with his grade school antics that it worked: He did gain my good graces, even though from then on, my luggage clicked like a Geiger counter whenever I got near a railway station.
Larry's Kidney is so fantastic that it is hard to believe it is even based on a tiny bit of truth - but it is!
Enjoy!
The new Beijing
Ole BJ has been buttered and Botoxed for the Olympics. Once a low-lying labyrinth of grainy neighborhoods, it now reminds me of Kryptonopolis in the early Superman comics, a futuristic metropolis with soaring trains and heatstroke-inducing architecture.
Instead of those grandmothers you could still see a quarter century ago shuffling through the rag stalls with bound feet, movie starlets with French pedicures are mobbing the malls, impatiently stamping their designer sandals. The tour guides have changed, too—twenty-five years ago they were tight-lipped and severe, hiding their little hair buns in gray Mao caps. By contrast, the luxurious Yuh-vonne from Happy-Go-Luck Travel bounces flirtatiously, with nuclear pink highlights in her pageboy that’s like the mane of a punk thorough-bred.
Street signs
“Larry, are you okay?”
“Not really, Dan. I’m upset, I’m confused, I can’t even read the street signs.”
“That’s because they’re in Chinese, Larry.”
Friendly spies
The cloak-and-dagger stuff was so primitive as to be borderline funny. One evening twenty-five years ago, I came back from a banquet early to use my bathroom and actually caught a sweating hotel clerk with his hands in my luggage, feverishly planting a bugging device. Later he tried to gain my good graces by giving me a bottle of sticky-sweet Shandong wine. I was so taken with his grade school antics that it worked: He did gain my good graces, even though from then on, my luggage clicked like a Geiger counter whenever I got near a railway station.
Larry's Kidney is so fantastic that it is hard to believe it is even based on a tiny bit of truth - but it is!
Enjoy!
July 22, 2009
'Huwwo' summarizes a character in one word!
Daniel Asa Rose has a winner on his hands with LARRY'S KIDNEY'. He has the skill and the comic timing to pull off an unlikely caper story with lightness, hearty laughter, tenderness, and wisdom, creating a book that most likely will go directly to film. It is a fast summer read that is brimming over with some of the funniest conversations between the characters while keeping an eye focused on the very fast paced story that borders on a little miracle of writing.
Strange, bizarre, out of the ordinary walk of life Larry is a victim of renal failure and needs a kidney transplant. Living in the USA he is one of many potential recipients for a kidney transplant, a fact that stimulates the idea of traveling to China in an illegal attempt to find a new kidney. He enlists the help of his sturdy but estranged cousin Dan to accompany him to China and once there Larry introduces Dan to his email order bride Mary (a far cry from the young and beautiful description transmitted by the potential bride via email!). Larry and Dan (and Mary) unite in Larry's medical venture and the result is a story of hilarious incidents, moments of intrigue, a cultural awakening, and an exploration of the meaning of kinship and friendship and love spread among not only the trio but across the country of China.
Some critics may feel that focusing a comic novel on a subject as serious as Kidney Transplantation is inappropriate, but the manner in which Rose tells his story is light hearted and far from parody that the subject of finding a means to save the life of an unlikely candidate could have been. Though this is not a heavy novel (!), it goes beyond an entertaining comedic read and carries some important sociologic and psychologic implications. A very good read! Grady Harp
Daniel Asa Rose has a winner on his hands with LARRY'S KIDNEY'. He has the skill and the comic timing to pull off an unlikely caper story with lightness, hearty laughter, tenderness, and wisdom, creating a book that most likely will go directly to film. It is a fast summer read that is brimming over with some of the funniest conversations between the characters while keeping an eye focused on the very fast paced story that borders on a little miracle of writing.
Strange, bizarre, out of the ordinary walk of life Larry is a victim of renal failure and needs a kidney transplant. Living in the USA he is one of many potential recipients for a kidney transplant, a fact that stimulates the idea of traveling to China in an illegal attempt to find a new kidney. He enlists the help of his sturdy but estranged cousin Dan to accompany him to China and once there Larry introduces Dan to his email order bride Mary (a far cry from the young and beautiful description transmitted by the potential bride via email!). Larry and Dan (and Mary) unite in Larry's medical venture and the result is a story of hilarious incidents, moments of intrigue, a cultural awakening, and an exploration of the meaning of kinship and friendship and love spread among not only the trio but across the country of China.
Some critics may feel that focusing a comic novel on a subject as serious as Kidney Transplantation is inappropriate, but the manner in which Rose tells his story is light hearted and far from parody that the subject of finding a means to save the life of an unlikely candidate could have been. Though this is not a heavy novel (!), it goes beyond an entertaining comedic read and carries some important sociologic and psychologic implications. A very good read! Grady Harp
May 19, 2009
The title pretty much sums it up. The book started out with the mildly amusing details of how Rose was contacted by his cousin Larry and how he became involved in Larry's life again. Then the book quickly went downhill from there.
Rose's dialogue writing style was inane, tedious, and the stories were far-fetched, punched-up to try to hold the reader's attention, but boring. And Larry's stories were not only implausible, but put me to sleep.
Larry is a racist and Rose mocks not only his cousin with a speech impediment, but the Chinese people he encountered, who showed him undeserved patience and kindness. Yes, I read the disclaimer in the front of the book, but Rose crossed the line and demeaned the Chinese. Rose is a perfect example of the ugly American.
It's explained to Larry that he will be receiving a kidney from an executed prisoner, who in all likelihood could have been an innocent political prisoner. Complete and total lack of consciousness.
There were a few oddities that stuck out for me:
1) His kids, boys, ages nine and twelve, actually slept in the same bed with their parents on vacation? And they were too rowdy and undisciplined to be quiet while their father was talking on the phone?
2) What was the real reason for Rose signing up on the website where Larry found his "mail-order bride?"
3) Rose's relationship with Jade that he described as "father-daughter" was anything but. I was grossed out. It was completely inappropriate.
Even if I don’t like or agree with an author personally, I will acknowledge it when he or she has told a good story. (Perfect example: Deborah Rodriguez, author of Kabul Beauty School.)
Bottom line, these guys are a couple of egotistical idiots. This book would have received one star, but somehow, and I'm not sure how, by some miracle I made it through, so I forked over an extra star more for my effort to make it to the end than the merits of the book.
Rose's dialogue writing style was inane, tedious, and the stories were far-fetched, punched-up to try to hold the reader's attention, but boring. And Larry's stories were not only implausible, but put me to sleep.
Larry is a racist and Rose mocks not only his cousin with a speech impediment, but the Chinese people he encountered, who showed him undeserved patience and kindness. Yes, I read the disclaimer in the front of the book, but Rose crossed the line and demeaned the Chinese. Rose is a perfect example of the ugly American.
It's explained to Larry that he will be receiving a kidney from an executed prisoner, who in all likelihood could have been an innocent political prisoner. Complete and total lack of consciousness.
There were a few oddities that stuck out for me:
1) His kids, boys, ages nine and twelve, actually slept in the same bed with their parents on vacation? And they were too rowdy and undisciplined to be quiet while their father was talking on the phone?
2) What was the real reason for Rose signing up on the website where Larry found his "mail-order bride?"
3) Rose's relationship with Jade that he described as "father-daughter" was anything but. I was grossed out. It was completely inappropriate.
Even if I don’t like or agree with an author personally, I will acknowledge it when he or she has told a good story. (Perfect example: Deborah Rodriguez, author of Kabul Beauty School.)
Bottom line, these guys are a couple of egotistical idiots. This book would have received one star, but somehow, and I'm not sure how, by some miracle I made it through, so I forked over an extra star more for my effort to make it to the end than the merits of the book.
May 11, 2010
This is a funny, deeply moving, bizarre and keenly observed stranger-than-fiction memoir of the author's effort to obtain a kidney transplant for his cousin in China (where kidney transplants are illegal for westerners)...Improbably wonderful. Hard to put down-- rich with insights about China, family, medicine, transplants and the human heart.
October 17, 2017
I found this to be both amusing and educational. I kept wondering how much of this was true and how much was exaggerated for comic effect, but regardless, the author deserves an award for cousin of the century. I am close with one of my cousins and I kept thinking if I was in the same situation, how far would I go. Thankfully, my cousin would never behave like Larry, but isn't there a song called, 'What I Did For Love?' Despite the comedic rants and conversations between the author and his cousin, it was an interesting portrait of their China experience. Fortune favors the brave of heart and they were fortunate to have many individuals in China help them in their quest to procure a kidney. It was definitely an interesting read.
September 1, 2021
Couldn’t get into this book. Maybe it was too over-the-top or the author was trying too hard to be funny. Too much dialogue. Didn’t finish the book
June 1, 2009
This is a memoir of how Daniel goes to great links to help his cousin get a kidney transplant in China. It is an intriguing story of romance and family loyalty, as well as, Daniel's ability to see through Larry's personality to the childlike nature he knew as a child.
Larry, Daniel, and Larry's mail order bride leave America to find a doctor who will give him a kidney transplant before he dies waiting for one in America. Larry's personality takes them on a journey they will never forget. It was the trip of a lifetime.
When you read this book, you will find yourself laughing often. You will also find yourself admiring the lengths a family member will go to help another live. It is a heart warming story to help you find the courage to live and live fully until you die.
Sam Oliver, author of, "The Path into Healing"
Larry, Daniel, and Larry's mail order bride leave America to find a doctor who will give him a kidney transplant before he dies waiting for one in America. Larry's personality takes them on a journey they will never forget. It was the trip of a lifetime.
When you read this book, you will find yourself laughing often. You will also find yourself admiring the lengths a family member will go to help another live. It is a heart warming story to help you find the courage to live and live fully until you die.
Sam Oliver, author of, "The Path into Healing"
June 14, 2019
I nearly stopped reading this book. The author was taking way too long to make progress and Larry was annoying. But I soldiered on and got to explore China and the growth that Dan and Larry experienced. I got to meet some unusual characters and learn about China and healthcare. There were some unexpected twists along the way. It turned out to be interesting although it was not as funny as I thought it would be based on some reviews.
September 7, 2016
Hilarious true story. The subtitle effectively sums up the book. A fiction writer couldn't come up with a character as bizarre as cousin Larry. The descriptions of the people and places in China are priceless.
November 2, 2018
I find the book “Larry’s Kidney: Being the True Story of How I found Myself in China with My Black Sheep Cousin and His Mail-Order Bride, Skirting the Law to Get Him a Transplant – and Save His Life” a lot to take in as much as the title seems to be. It was entertaining, intriguing, sad and bizarre book that I read quickly since I wanted to know what happens next. The hardest part of the book is that I never loved Larry, was he worth all of this and I don’t know. I think in asking this question and seeing all that transpires in the search for Larry’s kidney is what makes this book fascinating and touching all at the same time. It was also an eye-opening look into the culture of China from the past into the present. All these elements made this book a fascinating read.
January 27, 2015
When I was doing research for THE ORGAN BROKER I was on a quest to learn everything possible about the international black market for organs. From 2008 on I read most books--both fiction and non-fiction--that I came across which were based on the subject. Luckily, I stumbled upon LARRY'S KIDNEY. It is the incredible, fresh, depressing and uplifting memoir by Daniel Asa Rose about his adventure to China with his sick cousin Larry. Daniel is a tremendous writer, who tells an engaging and charming story, and has also become a friend and adviser of mine who I feel lucky to know.
November 16, 2021
what i found most interesting about this book is that it (slightly) changed my views on chinese culture. i know that the govt oppresses the people, but i had trouble understanding why the citizens were the way they were. i guess i understand them better now and admire their sense of communal unity that we lack here in the US.
oh, and i found larry to be an annoying shit. i almost wanted him to die.
oh, and i found larry to be an annoying shit. i almost wanted him to die.
September 3, 2018
Definitely a miss. Author is funny and I would try another memoir of his. I really disliked his cousin, so the constant recounting of their interactions as they tried to find someone to help them arrange a (gray market) kidney transplant in China was off-putting. His cousin is quite a character, the but repeated stories of often confusing grievances was not of interest. Not enough zaniness in the world to make up for the cousin.
March 5, 2009
Having helped hospital patients in China while living there, it was interesting to read the comments of someone dealing with it from the other side. At the same time, parts of the book didn't flow well, and the author made at least mildly racist remarks in a few places.
August 19, 2009
This book is hysterically funny and very heartwarming. Larry is a complete nebbish, and at several points, one wonders if he is really worth saving. The writer's compassion toward Larry is amazing. The writing, especially the dialogue, are great.
May 6, 2009
Hilarious and touching - a real keeper!
June 2, 2009
If I could give this negative five stars I would, horrible!
August 9, 2009
Daniel Asa Rose is a fantastic writer. What a story!
August 16, 2010
got to read this, its wild and crazy and real, stranger families than mine exsist
May 22, 2011
His rendering of China, the Chinese people, the Chinese language and his cousin Larry was beautiful, haunting, and hilarious.
June 4, 2011
freakin' hilarious!
January 22, 2018
What a ride. Once I got going I couldn't stop! Laugh out loud descriptions of the discrepancies, idiosyncrasies, and anomalies that are China. And a tale to beat the band.
August 7, 2018
Funny, interesting, and informative. Never a dull moment in this whole (true) story. Read it. You won't regret it.
December 1, 2018
I did not find this at all amusing. Exaggerated and over written as well as poking fun at other people.
July 13, 2019
The fact that the big international tribunal report stating the Chinese transplants were mostly from executed Falun Gong members while I was reading this made me a bit queasy.
January 21, 2020
This was an odd book, completely different than what I expected going in. I work for a hospital as part of their kidney transplant program, so the topic of transplant tourism has been covered at conferences and in journal articles, but I'd never read an account of seeking an overseas transplant from the patient and caregiver side. I figured 'Larry's Kidney' would be all about the bribes and under the table deals Daniel and Larry made in order to buy Larry a new kidney, plus the flak they received back home in the U.S. for seeking their transplant in this manner. Yes, all of that happened, but I found the book to be more of a cultural picture of China than anything. This was primarily due to the narrator being Daniel, Larry's cousin, whose loose connections to the country making him the only person Larry could turn to in his time of need. While Larry is essentially dying, just trying to make it from one dialysis session to the next and doing a lot of resting in between, Daniel is pursuing the leads necessary to make this quest happen, and doing a whole lot of exploring and observing of the world around him in the downtime.
I'm not sure I was completely enamored with Daniel's writing style, and would be curious to learn the opinion of someone who is either originally from China, but completely fluent in English, or another American who has studied recent Chinese history, to see if Rose's portrayal of the speech and mannerisms of the people he encountered in China, while attempting to be humorous, actually comes off as insulting. In some ways, it helped to understand the challenges he and Larry faced, in that things often get lost in translation, especially since the 2 American men spoke little or no Chinese, but in other ways, it came off as kind of crude, especially seeing how these same people were the ones they depended on to make the kidney arrive in time for Larry. It wasn't just the Chinese who were made to be a bit strange, but Larry too, with Daniel seemingly transcribing every quirk of Larry's speech pattern and behaviors to make him into a guy I couldn't quite get a feeling for in terms of who he really was. Granted, I worked for 4 years in a pharmacy and have met a handful of patients in my current job, so I know patients come from all walks of life, and chronic illness can turn even the greatest person into a shadow of themselves.
To be honest, if this hadn't been confirmed from a number of sources to be a non-fiction work, it felt absurd enough to be a complete fabrication, from the pretty young girl on the dating service site turning out to look like an overweight housekeeper in reality, to badminton tournaments in the hallways of the hospital being played by loved ones of wealthy Middle Easterners also waiting for transplants, to lullabies and WWII era American hits being the soundtrack heard throughout Daniel's travels in China. The transplant itself took up such a small portion of the book, as it was the journey to get there that was the true story, with Daniel seeming to be the main character as opposed to Larry, as he reconnects with both his estranged cousin and a country that left him with a bad taste in his mouth after a previous visit decades ago.
Would I read another book by this author? Probably not, as it was the premise that drew me in, but a writing style that I didn't love.
I'm not sure I was completely enamored with Daniel's writing style, and would be curious to learn the opinion of someone who is either originally from China, but completely fluent in English, or another American who has studied recent Chinese history, to see if Rose's portrayal of the speech and mannerisms of the people he encountered in China, while attempting to be humorous, actually comes off as insulting. In some ways, it helped to understand the challenges he and Larry faced, in that things often get lost in translation, especially since the 2 American men spoke little or no Chinese, but in other ways, it came off as kind of crude, especially seeing how these same people were the ones they depended on to make the kidney arrive in time for Larry. It wasn't just the Chinese who were made to be a bit strange, but Larry too, with Daniel seemingly transcribing every quirk of Larry's speech pattern and behaviors to make him into a guy I couldn't quite get a feeling for in terms of who he really was. Granted, I worked for 4 years in a pharmacy and have met a handful of patients in my current job, so I know patients come from all walks of life, and chronic illness can turn even the greatest person into a shadow of themselves.
To be honest, if this hadn't been confirmed from a number of sources to be a non-fiction work, it felt absurd enough to be a complete fabrication, from the pretty young girl on the dating service site turning out to look like an overweight housekeeper in reality, to badminton tournaments in the hallways of the hospital being played by loved ones of wealthy Middle Easterners also waiting for transplants, to lullabies and WWII era American hits being the soundtrack heard throughout Daniel's travels in China. The transplant itself took up such a small portion of the book, as it was the journey to get there that was the true story, with Daniel seeming to be the main character as opposed to Larry, as he reconnects with both his estranged cousin and a country that left him with a bad taste in his mouth after a previous visit decades ago.
Would I read another book by this author? Probably not, as it was the premise that drew me in, but a writing style that I didn't love.
October 6, 2016
I am seriously on the fence with this one because I found it both fascinating and appalling. Sometimes you can enjoy a book and be glad you read it, but still be hesitant to recommend it to others. It's different, to put it mildly.
The author is a professional writer and he writes very well. But the people he's writing about (with the possible but not definite exception of himself) aren't very likable types. And the subject (traveling to China to illegally obtain a kidney) is about as controversial as it gets.
To put it another way, the Chinese government has now banned this practice and it takes a lot to upset Chinese politicians.
On the other hand, I was intrigued by the background story. The daughter of a wealthy, well-educated Jewish family marries "beneath her." (That was the expression then.) Her husband is an uneducated auto mechanic who's under the thumb of his more successful older brother.
The marriage is an unhappy one and the two children (Larry and his sister) live in poverty - both financial and emotional. Meanwhile, their more fortunate cousins have privileged childhoods, attend Ivy League schools, and go on to become leaders in their professions. There's bitter jealousy on one side and guilty embarrassment on the other.
Unless you've led a very sheltered existence, Larry's story will be familiar to you. We want to believe that the Larries of the world would have different lives with better parenting and more opportunities. But then we remember all the people we've known who had wonderful parents and every advantage and managed to screw them all up. Nature or nurture? It's the age-old question and there really are no answers.
As to the trip to China, it's endlessly entertaining and mind-blowingly bizarre. The author knew China many years ago and expected to be able to navigate with ease. He discovered that China has moved on. It's a huge country with an ancient culture and a booming modern economy. The communist government is trying to play both ends against the middle (as all governments do, to some extent) and pleasing no one, even themselves. Is it possible for ANY westerner to really understand an Asian culture, even one who's intelligent and open-minded?
I'm glad I read this book. I can't say that I give a damn about Larry or what happens to him. Maybe if I'd known him when he was younger, I'd remember the sweet kid with lots of potential and be more forgiving of the screwed-up middle-aged man. But I didn't and I can't. The author did the best he could for his cousin, but making a silk purse out of a sow's ear is a breeze compared to making an lovable character out of a Larry.
As to the morality of jumping line and taking a cadaver kidney obtained God-knows-how, every reader will have his own opinion. Yours is as good as mine, maybe better. Would I do it personally? Not a chance. If a young relative was facing death and there was no other way? Damn right I would.
It's a strange, unique story and it's well-told. If you like oddities and can stomach a wild tale, it's worth your time.
The author is a professional writer and he writes very well. But the people he's writing about (with the possible but not definite exception of himself) aren't very likable types. And the subject (traveling to China to illegally obtain a kidney) is about as controversial as it gets.
To put it another way, the Chinese government has now banned this practice and it takes a lot to upset Chinese politicians.
On the other hand, I was intrigued by the background story. The daughter of a wealthy, well-educated Jewish family marries "beneath her." (That was the expression then.) Her husband is an uneducated auto mechanic who's under the thumb of his more successful older brother.
The marriage is an unhappy one and the two children (Larry and his sister) live in poverty - both financial and emotional. Meanwhile, their more fortunate cousins have privileged childhoods, attend Ivy League schools, and go on to become leaders in their professions. There's bitter jealousy on one side and guilty embarrassment on the other.
Unless you've led a very sheltered existence, Larry's story will be familiar to you. We want to believe that the Larries of the world would have different lives with better parenting and more opportunities. But then we remember all the people we've known who had wonderful parents and every advantage and managed to screw them all up. Nature or nurture? It's the age-old question and there really are no answers.
As to the trip to China, it's endlessly entertaining and mind-blowingly bizarre. The author knew China many years ago and expected to be able to navigate with ease. He discovered that China has moved on. It's a huge country with an ancient culture and a booming modern economy. The communist government is trying to play both ends against the middle (as all governments do, to some extent) and pleasing no one, even themselves. Is it possible for ANY westerner to really understand an Asian culture, even one who's intelligent and open-minded?
I'm glad I read this book. I can't say that I give a damn about Larry or what happens to him. Maybe if I'd known him when he was younger, I'd remember the sweet kid with lots of potential and be more forgiving of the screwed-up middle-aged man. But I didn't and I can't. The author did the best he could for his cousin, but making a silk purse out of a sow's ear is a breeze compared to making an lovable character out of a Larry.
As to the morality of jumping line and taking a cadaver kidney obtained God-knows-how, every reader will have his own opinion. Yours is as good as mine, maybe better. Would I do it personally? Not a chance. If a young relative was facing death and there was no other way? Damn right I would.
It's a strange, unique story and it's well-told. If you like oddities and can stomach a wild tale, it's worth your time.
October 10, 2025
There are times when this books is funny:
Street signs
“Larry, are you okay?”
“Not really, Dan. I’m upset, I’m confused, I can’t even read the street signs.”
“That’s because they’re in Chinese, Larry.”
There are times when it is oddly relatable. I actually know a couple of guys with mail order brides. I once went on a blind date with a guy who later got a mail order bride. Another guy I know had a very disastrous, Russian turned out to be using him for a green card only marriage, and immediately dumping him and moving more than 1,000 mile away bride. Then he did it again with someone he met on-line from somewhere in Africa.
As much as Dan tries to tell us Larry is a good guy, he shows us an unlikeable sleaze ball and Dan also comes off as charmless.
And the whole transplant tourism thing is highly questionable. China uses the organs of executed criminals for organ transplant. The problem is, many are believed to be political prisoners.
At times it is a funny read and quite enjoyable, but at other times it is just too sad.
Street signs
“Larry, are you okay?”
“Not really, Dan. I’m upset, I’m confused, I can’t even read the street signs.”
“That’s because they’re in Chinese, Larry.”
There are times when it is oddly relatable. I actually know a couple of guys with mail order brides. I once went on a blind date with a guy who later got a mail order bride. Another guy I know had a very disastrous, Russian turned out to be using him for a green card only marriage, and immediately dumping him and moving more than 1,000 mile away bride. Then he did it again with someone he met on-line from somewhere in Africa.
As much as Dan tries to tell us Larry is a good guy, he shows us an unlikeable sleaze ball and Dan also comes off as charmless.
And the whole transplant tourism thing is highly questionable. China uses the organs of executed criminals for organ transplant. The problem is, many are believed to be political prisoners.
At times it is a funny read and quite enjoyable, but at other times it is just too sad.
November 28, 2017
I read this novel mostly out of medical interest to see what it is like to get an illegal transplant in China. (No, I'm not someone who is looking for a kidney!) I did find it amusing in some places.
I think the characters may have been mildly racist towards the Chinese. The author himself also writes about a Pakistani man he met who was friendly and gave him a ride to the train station, but because he shook hands with his mittens on, that must mean in different circumstances, the Pakistani man would "slit [his] throat." Comments like that make the author and Larry "unlikeable."
I agree with another comment that states the relationship with Jade, supposedly like father-daughter, was a little weird. Of course there is an ethical issue of where the kidney came from, but it makes you think how far you might go to save someone's life.
I think the characters may have been mildly racist towards the Chinese. The author himself also writes about a Pakistani man he met who was friendly and gave him a ride to the train station, but because he shook hands with his mittens on, that must mean in different circumstances, the Pakistani man would "slit [his] throat." Comments like that make the author and Larry "unlikeable."
I agree with another comment that states the relationship with Jade, supposedly like father-daughter, was a little weird. Of course there is an ethical issue of where the kidney came from, but it makes you think how far you might go to save someone's life.
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