Strange stones : dispatches from East and West / Peter Hessler

A Rat in My Soup -- Hutong Karma -- Walking the Wall -- The Dirty Game -- Beach Summit -- Boomtown Girl -- Underwater -- The Uranium Widows -- Strange Stones -- All Due Respect -- When You Grow Up -- Four Accidents -- Home and Away -- The Home Team -- Car Town -- Chinese Barbizon -- Go West -- Dr. Don.

Strange Stones is an engaging, thought-provoking collection of Hessler's best pieces, showcasing his range as a storyteller and his gift for writing as both native and knowledgeable outsider. From a taste test between two rat restaurants in South China to a profile of Yao Ming to the moving story of a small-town pharmacist, these pieces are bound by subtle but meaningful ideas: the strength of local traditions, the surprising overlap between cultures, and the powerful lessons drawn from individuals who straddle different worlds. Full of unforgettable figures and an unrelenting spirit of adventure, Strange Stones is a dazzling display of the powerful storytelling, shrewd cultural insight, and warm sense of humor that are the trademarks of Peter Hessler's work.