A memoir of one academic's lifelong fascination with China, examining China's history as well as its relationship with Canada.
Brian Evans blends memoir and history to draw a vivid picture of China and its cultural outreach over the past three decades. His historical and sociological insights as student, scholar, and administrator form an authentic commentary as he discusses China and the Cold War; the Cultural Revolution; the post-Mao transformation of China; Canada's relations with China; the cultural impact of the overseas Chinese community on the Canadian Prairies; development of China studies in Canada and elsewhere; the current impact of China on Canadian higher education; and recent Chinese history seen within a broader context. With this book, Evans seeks to make a contribution to the understanding of the nature and wide range of Canada-China relations, an area in which he himself has played a role.
Praise for Pursuing China
"It's no dry academic tome. Instead, Evans mixes his analysis of China's history and geopolitics with raucous yarns, recounting his personal adventures and misadventures, at home and abroad." -Paula Simons, Edmonton Journal
"As a memoirist, Evans has two great strengths. The first is his sense of humour, which brings us several wonderful anecdotes.... Evans' second strength is his unflinching honesty." -Diana Lary, Pacific Affairs, Vol. 85, No. 4
"[Evans'] book makes compelling reading." -George Fetherling, Diplomat and International Canada, Summer 2012