Strange Stones

Full of unforgettable figures and an unrelenting spirit of adventure, Strange Stones is a far-ranging, thought-provoking collection of Peter Hesslers best reportagea dazzling display of the powerful storytelling, shrewd cultural insight, and warm sense of humor that are the trademarks of his work.Over the last decade, as a staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of three books, Peter Hessler has lived in Asia and the United States, writing as both native and knowledgeable outsider in these two very different regions. This unusual perspective distinguishes Strange Stones, which showcases Hesslers unmatched range as a storyteller. Wild Flavor invites readers along on a taste test between two rat restaurants in South China. One story profiles Yao Ming, basketball star and Chinas most beloved export, another David Spindler, an obsessive and passionate historian of the Great Wall. In Dr. Don, Hessler writes movingly about a small-town pharmacist and his relationship with the people he serves.While Hesslers subjects and locations vary, subtle but deeply important thematic links bind these piecesthe strength of local traditions, the surprising overlap between apparently opposing cultures, and the powerful lessons drawn from individuals who straddle different worlds.