Author: Paul Midler
Genre: Non-fiction (China)
Notes: Published by John Wiley & Sons. Was an Economist Best Book of the Year in 2009.
Why I read it:
I live in Beijing, so an interest in books on China is pretty much a given for me. However, I didn’t seek this one out – it was simply in a pile of books lent to me by a friend.
What it’s about:
The thoughts and frustrations of one American working in Guangzhou, chronicling time spent as a middleman in China’s manufacturing industry. Trust me when I say it’s definitely not as boring as it sounds.
My Review:
Poorly Made in China was marketed as a hard-hitting exposé of manufacturing practices; meaning when I first picked it up, I expected a businessman’s cynical diatribe on Chinese industry. Turns out I was wrong. Most of Midler’s book consists of entertaining anecdotes, and while it occasionally gets cynical, this is done is a very readable, informative way.
