Out of the Gobi: My Story of China and America Hardcover -

From the rear cover

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 reshape 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 raw human energy and the will to succeed against all odds.

It is also the story of how Shan's relentless drive, coupled with his prodigious intellect, put him at the center of one of the most important economic shifts in modern history. Shan's improbable journey, from the People's Republic of China to the "People's Republic of Berkeley" and beyond, is a uniquely American success story--told with a splash of humor, deep insight, and rich and engaging detail.

This is an insider's account that marries the immediacy and vibrancy of Shan's extraordinary experiences with the informed analysis of a US-trained economist and accomplished investor to shed light on China's rise and its relationship with the US. This powerful and personal perspective on China and America will shape Americans' view of China, humanizing the country while honestly confronting its many deficiencies.

Born and raised in Beijing, 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, he spent his formative years doing hard labor. Denied schooling

for 10 years and a secondary education altogether, he returned to Beijing 6 years later, in time to witness Mao Zedong's death and the start of economic reforms that would transform China.

Riding this new wave of openness, Shan became one of the first Chinese students in the US in the early 1980s. Only five years after leaving the Gobi, he found himself sharing a laugh with Senator Dianne Feinstein, as captured in a photo in the book. He went on to become a PhD candidate at the University of California, Berkeley, a professor at the Wharton School, and ultimately one of Asia's most respected investors. His background makes him not only unique but also uniquely well qualified to comment on China and its position in the world and vis-à-vis the United States that is struggling to redefine its role at a challenging and complex time.

From the jacket flap

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 reshape 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 raw human energy and the will to succeed against all odds.

It is also the story of how Shan's relentless drive, coupled with his prodigious intellect, put him at the center of one of the most important economic shifts in modern history. Shan's improbable journey, from the People's Republic of China to the "People's Republic of Berkeley" and beyond, is a uniquely American success story--told with a splash of humor, deep insight, and rich and engaging detail.

This is an insider's account that marries the immediacy and vibrancy of Shan's extraordinary experiences with the informed analysis of a US-trained economist and accomplished investor to shed light on China's rise and its relationship with the US. This powerful and personal perspective on China and America will shape Americans' view of China, humanizing the country while honestly confronting its many deficiencies.

Born and raised in Beijing, 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, he spent his formative years doing hard labor. Denied schooling

for 10 years and a secondary education altogether, he returned to Beijing 6 years later, in time to witness Mao Zedong's death and the start of economic reforms that would transform China.

Riding this new wave of openness, Shan became one of the first Chinese students in the US in the early 1980s. Only five years after leaving the Gobi, he found himself sharing a laugh with Senator Dianne Feinstein, as captured in a photo in the book. He went on to become a PhD candidate at the University of California, Berkeley, a professor at the Wharton School, and ultimately one of Asia's most respected investors. His background makes him not only unique but also uniquely well qualified to comment on China and its position in the world and vis-à-vis the United States that is struggling to redefine its role at a challenging and complex time.