Riding the Iron Rooster: By Train Through China

As a person who traveled a lot on business, I loved this book. I’d gotten so tired of airports and hotels that all looked the same that I started taking trains internationally. But Paul takes it to a far, far deeper level. And you really do see the people in depth, not just the country side. And when I first went to Asia, I thought I understood a lot, and after 100+ trips, very, very little. With train travel, you begin to understand. Great job.

This was one of Theroux's best books in my opinion. He gives a great insight into what China was then. It would be great for people who are planning to go to China. I have given this book to many of my friends for presents and they have all enjoyed it. How he traveled is the way I would have liked to go to China. He meets with the everyday people and writes about the diversity of the country.

I liked reading this book.

Paul Theroux is a master writer and this observation is a very entertaining read. His journey begins in Europe as he takes the transAsiatic train to an area where he can turn south and pass through Mongolia and eventually into China where the true subject of the book begins; suffice to say the reader is in for a major treat. Theroux passes through the most significant regions of China; his descriptions, particularly of his fellow passengers will delight some and almost anger others. As any readers to Theroux's books know he does not query his verbiage when describing the people in whose country he is passing through. He is at his best when describing the passengers with whom he must share his cabin or his dining room car. The reader cannot but realise that Theroux is confronted frequently by references to the Cultural Revolution and Mao's death throughout the journey in China; both of these tumultuous events had occurred in resent Chinese history. He makes no apologies for his distaste of both; they form a stage curtin for his entire journey. Consequently I found his descriptions of his final destination, Tibet, to be sweet, dare I say when dealing with Teroux's written language virtually beautiful to the extent you might need to return to the passages for a re-read. This Theroux book is worth putting aside, leaving for some years anthem returning; it is that good

In the era of bullet trains and massive infrastructure build-out throughout China in anticipation of the 2008 Olympics and accordant tourism, my time riding trains in China in 2015 was very different than Theroux's, however I found this book to be an enjoyable counterpoint to my experiences. He has an observant eye for describing his travels and writes very well.

Theroux shares with us many of the experiences he had as he traveled all through the different parts and different trains of China and also gives colorful, often laugh-out-loud commentary to accompany these experiences. Of course he retells his experiences with normal people he meets along the way, but he has a knack for landing interviews with some interesting high-society socialites and politicians and sharing these as well. These interviews - if recounted correctly - give a very interesting view of the state of China right before it really begins its dramatic rise to power in the 1990s. Especially of interest was Theroux's seeming obsession with the Cultural Revolution and gathering people's accounts and feelings about it. Some of these accounts are very fascinating. However, as the title indicates, these oases of fascinating accounts are often littered with somewhat dull accounts that made the book feel too long (in fact at nearly 500 pages for the paperback version, I might argue it WAS too long). Some parts dragged and at that point I would check what percentage I was finished (read it on Kindle) and couldn't believe how long it took to progress even 1%. I found myself doing a skimming/skipping combo at these parts. Particularly from about halfway through the book until the concluding Tibet part it seemed to take a long time. On that, the concluding part on getting to Tibet and Tibet itself was one of the more interesting parts, and probably saved this from being a two-star review. Also, maps should have been added to the book. It became very confusing to understand where he was journeying which may have defused the ability to imagine yourself riding and experiencing 1980s China with him. Perhaps there is a map in the paper copy, but in the Kindle version, no such map is readily accessible. This could be one of the reasons that it seemed to drag at parts; you start to get the "why should I care?" feeling about the writing. People particularly interested in China - particularly a close-up, qualitative, at times very humorous look at Chinese society during the transition period of agricultural collective to the economic powerhouse - will perhaps enjoy this more relaxed account of a foreigner traveling in China as it is. But there are other books you should probably read first if you want something a little more serious (for example "My First Trip to China: Scholars, Diplomats and Journalists Reflect on their First Encounters with China"). For people with just a mere passing interest in China, it is too bad there is not an edited-down 200-300 page version. That would be more enjoyable. In its current state, I would say skip it or be prepared to skip parts.

This is an outsider's look at little slices of China in the '80's through the windows of the Iron Rooster and other China trains. Theroux spends a year traveling to and around China and Tibet, almost exclusively by train. Although at times he comes off as an arrogant and condescending American ass, mostly his love of China and its people comes through with flying colors. Sprinkled with humor, factual information and personal observation, this book is a great read for anyone who is either interested in either China or travel. I loved the book and am going to find more written by Theroux, since this was my introduction to his writing.

Yes, I am a Paul Theroux fan. And proud of it. I might not want to sit across from him on a train or bus or plane but I can sink back into his travel books and not look up for hundreds of pages. Have I read this before? Yes, of course. Many times. And so should you. He doesn't serve as the press arm for a travel junket so we get the real raw look in through the window. He's hilarious in his insults--but that's not just for China and the Chinese people. He's unbiased in his open dislike of his fellow travelers. Maybe he's changed now--but this book captures his outright loathing and disgust in open glory. (''Everyone hawked, everyone spat, sometimes dribbling, sometimes in a trajectory that ran like candlewax down the side of a spittoon. . . . They walked scuffingly, sort of skating, with their arms flapping, with narrow jogging shoulders, or else hustling puppetlike, with their limbs jerking. They minced, they plodded, they pushed, keeping their hands out - straight-arming their way -and their heads down. They could look entirely graceless -unexpected in Chinese.'') The NY Times said: "Riding the Iron Rooster'' is Mr. Theroux's account of a journey that would drive most people insane." Glad he took and I can read about it.

Excelente escritor. Vale cada centavo.

Though it is set in mid eighties and so obviously a lot has changed since then but the details on history, culture, weather, industry, inventions, experiences during cultural revolution through cities in China and in the end Tibet, that it makes a fascinating read.. I was intrigued by the facts and stories as this is the first time I was reading a book written dedicatedly on China!

Ein wunderbares Reisebuch fuer jeden der in oder nach China reist. Es zeigt, wie China in den 80ziger Jahren war. Der Schriftsteller ist ein guter Kenner von China und hat eine wunderbare Beobachtungsgabe und er schildert lebendig seine viele Reisen mit der Eisenbahn durch China. Fuer mich war es eine gute (auch geschichtliche) Vorbereitung fuer meine Reise nach Tibet. Das Buch machte mich ausserdem mit viele Sitten und Unsitten in China vertraut. Habe das Buch mit grosser Begeisterung gelesen und schon mehrmals weiter verschenkt.

Paul traveled in 1986 just after Deng opened up China which was adopted quickly but Mao’s years were still remembered. So much has changed since then it seems quaint to hear of steam trains its still a good read many years after the visit and when it was written.

I’m a real Paul Theroux fan and reading this for the second time. Only negative point is:- no decent Map with which I could follow his travels.