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Book Summary and Reviews of Young China by Zak Dychtwald

Young China by Zak Dychtwald

Young China

How the Restless Generation Will Change Their Country and the World

by Zak Dychtwald

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  • Published:
  • Feb 2018, 304 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

The author, in his twenties, who is fluent in Chinese, examines the future of China through the lens of the Jiu Ling Hou - the generation born after 1990.

A close up look at the Chinese generation born after 1990 exploring through personal encounters how young Chinese feel about everything from money and sex, to their government, the West, and China's shifting role in the world - not to mention their love affair with food, karaoke, and travel. Set primarily in the Eastern 2nd tier city of Suzhou and the budding Western metropolis of Chengdu, the book charts the touchstone issues this young generation faces. From single-child pressure, to test taking madness and the frenzy to buy an apartment as a prerequisite to marriage, from one-night-stands to an evolving understanding of family, Young China offers a fascinating portrait of the generation who will define what it means to be Chinese in the modern era.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Starred Review. A richly informative and surprisingly intimate portrait of a side of China unknown to most Westerners." - Publisher's Weekly

"This engaging and fast-paced read will appeal to those interested in modern China and the experiences of Millennials." - Library Journal

"Dychtwald builds an intimate profile of Chinese millennials - how they cope with crushing academic and professional pressures, their ideas about marriage, sex, and love, and their views on country and government - and how, ultimately, they are changing China and the world. An engaging read for anyone looking for an introduction to contemporary Chinese culture and society." - Elizabeth Economy, C.V. Starr Senior Fellow and Director for Asia Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations

"If you read just one book about where China is heading, let this be it - clear, exciting, and revelatory." - Amory B. Lovins, cofounder and chief scientist, Rocky Mountain Institute

"Here is a book of thoughtful, in-depth study and research, through Zak's personal experience living with the Chinese younger generation. This is a most timely and insightful book." - Chungliang Al Huang, President-Founder, Living Tao Foundation, Director, International Lan Ting Institute

"An indispensable must-read journey of discovery and a cogent analysis into the mindset and future of young China." - Dr. James Canton, CEO & Chairman The Institute for Global Futures, author, Future Smart

This information about Young China was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

Zak Dychtwald

Zak Dychtwald moved to China after graduating from Columbia University. He spent years deeply immersed in the culture, learning the language and hanging out with his peers, in apartment shares and hostels, on long train rides and over endless restaurant meals. He lives in New York City and spends nearly half the year in China while heading up a small think tank and consultancy focused on Young China.

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