The collapse of schools in the Sichuan earthquake and the “Harmony Express” crash were eventually linked to corruption that allowed shoddy building practices. State controlled media tries to shape these stories but is often undermined when details emerge. The author takes us beyond the headlines of scandals and disasters like China’s real estate boom, organized crime and explosive growth in Macau, riots in the Uighur region, earthquake in Sichuan, conflict with Japan over the Diaoyu Islands and the “Harmony Express” bullet train crash. Interviews with these and other personalities span years and it’s fascinating to observe how their views develop as the country rapidly evolves. He and other nationalists view foreign criticism as part of an ongoing plot to encircle and weaken China. Tang Jie is a graduate student whose viral patriotic video inspired Chinese people to stand against protests of China’s repression in Tibet. He became a chief economist at World Bank and evangelized China’s central planning methods. We also meet conservative nationalists like Lin Yifu who defected from Taiwan to China in 1979 with the dream of helping China reclaim its greatness. We follow several progressive reformers like Ai Weiwei, a famous artist who publicly mocks inequities Han Han, a snarky and wildly popular blogger who takes aim at rampant hypocrisy Liu Xiaobo, a leading voice for human rights who won a Nobel Peace Prize while imprisoned for advocating political reforms and Chen Guangcheng, the “blind peasant lawyer” who helps his poor rural neighbors fight injustice by local officials. It’s an up close and personal look that’s highly engaging. He reveals the monumental changes, challenges and contradictions China faces by telling their stories, tracing their lives over the years and exploring their goals, aspirations and attitudes.

The author introduces us to citizens from all walks of life with widely different views on politics, the economy, social issues and the Country’s future. In Age of Ambition Evan Osnos takes us beyond the statistics, building a complex portrait of China through its people. trading partner with growing influence in Asia and globally. It’s the world’s second largest economy and a key U.S.

Most of us have a well-formed macro perspective on China.

Age of ambition