At the first sight, I thought the author was teaching readers how to run a retail business. It turns out to be a book substantiated by a large amount of field surveys and interview transcripts, while the author plays an excellent role in observing the local people without the interference of intimidation as an intellectual. His role is rather a student working on his master thesis and living with the people. The last chapter has theorized all the data described in the previous chapters, and I quite like such arrangement.
It was a hustling read for our monthly book club, especially we have to finish the book within 30 days since it's a 500 pages "thin" book. But It was such a pleasant read, Xiang wrote like a non-fiction writer than a boring sociology scholar, which he stated the reason behind a few times in the book. After the book read, our book club actually did pay a trip to DAHONGMEN, Beijing, where everything started, and, ended. One member bought a jacket from a Zhejiang shop owner, it was different, yes it was.
The romance of an unregulated market in a totalitarian society. Explained well the concept of capitalism with Chinese characteristics. Raw and mostly unscientific, but fascinating nonetheless.