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Out of the Gobi
- My Story of China and America
- Narrated by: David Shih
- Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins
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Out of the Gobi
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Summary
Weijian Shan's Out of the Gobi is a powerful memoir and commentary that will be one of the most important books on China of our time, one with the potential to re-shape how Americans view China, and how the Chinese view life in America.
Shan, a former hard laborer who is now one of Asia's best-known financiers, is thoughtful, observant, eloquent, and brutally honest, making him well-positioned to tell the story of a life that is a microcosm of modern China, and of how, improbably, that life became intertwined with America. Out of the Gobi draws a vivid picture of the raw human energy and the will to succeed against all odds.
Shan only finished elementary school when Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution tore his country apart. He was a witness to the brutality and absurdity of Mao's policies during one of the most tumultuous eras in China's history. Exiled to the Gobi Desert at age 15 and denied schooling for 10 years, he endured untold hardships without ever giving up his dream for an education. Shan's improbable journey, from the Gobi to the "People's Republic of Berkeley" and far beyond, is a uniquely American success story - told with a splash of humor, deep insight, and rich and engaging detail.
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What listeners say about Out of the Gobi
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Emanuele
- 03-04-22
Inspiring and insightful story
Inspiring story.
The most interesting aspect of this book is the chance it offers to examine western society from an outsider's perspective, and Communism from an insider's. It also gives a lot of lucid insight into Asian culture. The author's mindset, attitudes and the circumstances which lead to his success are clearly outlined, and the tone feels genuine and relatable, making it pleasant to listen to.
The book is interesting overall, the many anectodal contents are generally meaningful, and almost always either insightful or curious, fewer times funny, but not rarely felt a bit dull and took me some effort to go through.
I'd read it again, and can recommend it to those who are interested in the topics it explores.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Austra
- 09-09-23
Very interesting story of growing up in China
I must admit I enjoyed the China part of this story much more than events that happened in US.
Also - David Shih is one of the best narrators I've come upon.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Smith King
- 15-03-21
MustRead humbling tale of how to thrive by working hard, self challenge to be better daily
MustRead humbling tale of how to thrive by working hard, self challenge to be better daily
This is truly a hero’s journey except told from a humble man’s perspective.
Can we/you emulate to become Shan if we were in his shoes?
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Brian
- 02-12-21
A great story of depth and insight
I very rarely - maybe never, have enjoyed such a long and detailed story of one man's journey. The detail of Weijan's experience in China and then America lets us feel and see deep into these places - I feel like I have been there with him. The narrator adds much to the quality with his soft-spoken manner and perfect pronunciation of Chinese words - I could easily believe it was the author talking. Thoroughly enjoyable.
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