River At The Center Of The World The

Rising from the mountains of the Tibetan border the river that is the symbolic heart of China courses through 3900 miles of rugged country before emerging into the oily swells of the East China Sea. Connecting Chinas heartland cities with the volatile coastal giant Shanghai the Yangtze has throughout history also linked China to the outside world through its nearly 1000 miles of navigable waters. To travel those waters is to travel back in history to sense the soul of China and Simon Winchester takes us with him as he encounters the essence of the nationits history and politics its geography and climate.He engages with the countrys culture and its people in remote and almost inaccessible places. Winchester recalls his passionate exploration of the countryside employing nearly every mode of transportation including boat train jeep and shoe leatherwhile providing important and engaging historical information. This is travel writing at its best: lively informative and thoroughly enchanting.