I just finished reading this book last night. I was browsing through the electronic portion of our public library and found Big In China on the most popular list. So, I put a hold on it and waited for a couple of weeks for it to become available.
The book is by Alan Paul and is about his family's move to Beijing when his wife takes a transfer there. Paul is a stay at home dad that does freelance writing. While in China, Paul starts a blues band with some locals and another ex-pat and becomes quite successful not long before it is time to move back to the U.S.
Paul does a great job of describing the excitement and surrealism of living the ex-pat life. I enjoyed the book because I could relate to his experiences and feelings. Although I was in Korea, Asians share many of the same qualities socially and culturally. I think that readers that haven't lived abroad or even really traveled much would enjoy this book, however. Paul is a professional writer and his style is very easy to get through. The book gets serious at times, but in general is a light hearted romp through his 3 years in China.
I give this book a thumbs up.
P.S. I just read that this book is being made into a movie and Ivan Reitman has been asked to direct.
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