Book #81 Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven

Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman

4 out of 5

Product Details
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (March 24, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446578924
ISBN-13: 978-0446578929

Product Description

They were young, brilliant, and bold. They set out to conquer the world. But the world had other plans for them.Bestselling author Susan Jane Gilman's new memoir is a hilarious and harrowing journey, a modern heart of darkness filled with Communist operatives, backpackers, and pancakes. In 1986, fresh out of college, Gilman and her friend Claire yearned to do something daring and original that did not involve getting a job. Inspired by a place mat at the International House of Pancakes, they decided to embark on an ambitious trip around the globe, starting in the People's Republic of China. At that point, China had been open to independent travelers for roughly ten minutes. Armed only with the collected works of Nietzsche, an astrological love guide, and an arsenal of bravado, the two friends plunged into the dusty streets of Shanghai. Unsurprisingly, they quickly found themselves in over their heads. As they ventured off the map deep into Chinese territory, they were stripped of everything familiar and forced to confront their limitations amid culture shock and government surveillance. What began as a journey full of humor, eroticism, and enlightenment grew increasingly sinister-becoming a real-life international thriller that transformed them forever.Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven is a flat-out page-turner, an astonishing true story of hubris and redemption told with Gilman's trademark compassion, lyricism, and wit.

I am such a huge fan of memoirs and this one was a little different as it really became a story with a how it unfolded. You really can't put it down until you know how it ends. I just couldn't imagine going to a foreign country like China without the support of at least a translator, but that is youth for you. You can do anything! This is a must read for anyone who enjoys travel books.

Also, as I was reading this, my husband constantly asked me for updates...he wanted to know what happened and if they made it home.