The Shanghai Free Taxi, Frank Langfitt
The Shanghai Free Taxi, Frank Langfitt
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The Shanghai Free Taxi
Journeys with the Hustlers and Rebels of the New China

Author: Frank Langfitt

Narrator: Frank Langfitt

Unabridged: 8 hr 25 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: PublicAffairs

Published: 06/11/2019


Synopsis

As any traveler knows, some of the best and most honest conversations take place during car rides. So, when a long-time NPR correspondent wanted to learn more about the real China, he started driving a cab--and discovered a country amid seismic political and economic change.
China--America's most important competitor--is at a turning point. With economic growth slowing, Chinese people face inequality and uncertainty as their leaders tighten control at home and project power abroad.
In this adventurous, original book, NPR correspondent Frank Langfitt describes how he created a free taxi service--offering rides in exchange for illuminating conversation--to go beyond the headlines and get to know a wide range of colorful, compelling characters representative of the new China. They include folks like "Beer," a slippery salesman who tries to sell Langfitt a used car; Rocky, a farm boy turned Shanghai lawyer; and Chen, who runs an underground Christian church and moves his family to America in search of a better, freer life.
Blending unforgettable characters, evocative travel writing, and insightful political analysis, The Shanghai Free Taxi is a sharply observed and surprising book that will help readers make sense of the world's other superpower at this extraordinary moment.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Geoffrey on November 11, 2021

(Note: I received a free ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley) As someone who lived and worked in China for several years and has kept up with its major news since returning back to the states, I honestly don’t feel like that there’s any book that can really capture China right now like Frank Langf......more

Goodreads review by JKC on April 05, 2020

Liked the idea of it. Checked it out. Got it home and didn't want to read it. Not an auspicious beginning. Stuck at home so gave it another try. Made it about 75%. At first thought, okay, this is better than I expected. Enjoyed - at first - the insights into the Chinese mindset (really, the Shanghai......more

Goodreads review by rose on June 26, 2019

This book was pitched to me as a collection of stories, a peek into the lives of a few ordinary Chinese people through the eyes of an experienced reporter. I was let down. With stilted, matter-of-fact writing and paragraph-long interjections of data points and world news, the style of this book woul......more

Goodreads review by Zeb on June 02, 2019

During his time as a correspondent for the 'Baltimore Sun' and NPR, mostly based in Shanghai from 1990s to 2011. While finding his way around Shanghai both physically and sociologically, Langfitt thought that driving a taxi would be a great way to meet people and to learn his way around the streets.......more

Goodreads review by 123abc on January 21, 2024

it was fine but considering how good the premise sounded, i was disappointed. felt like packaging a pretty basic and over simplified (and overly political) message inside a few unique stories.......more


Quotes

"Langfitt's understated yet intimate interviews with his passengers and captivating descriptions of the country and food take center stage. In addition to encountering real people, listeners will learn about a unique nation as they enjoy a first-rate jaunt around its territory."—-Audiophile Magazine