Three Chinas

Lawrence T. Woods is an associate professor of international studies at
the University of Northern British Columbia and the author of
Asian-Pacific Diplomacy: Nongovernmental Organizations and International
Relations.

This book attempts to provide readers with a primer on contemporary
lifestyles in the People’s Republic, Taiwan, and Hong Kong by
introducing them to one person from each “China.” The lives of Dr.
Su, Andrew, and Pat are compared in terms of worldview, working
conditions, family obligations, personal relationships, language,
housing, health-care options, educational opportunities, societal
mobility, career ladder, pensions, and media interests.

The book’s accessibility is compromised by the density of detail, the
somewhat disjointed narrative, and the absence of a concluding chapter
tying together Purves’s analytical themes. While there is an index to
aid cross-referencing, the inclusion of pictures, diagrams, and/or
tables would have usefully clarified the otherwise stimulating text.
Three Chinas will appeal to readers with a casual or academic interest
in the contemporary cultures of the three Chinas.