Ian Johnson's book 'Wild Grass Three stories of change in Modern China' is a must-read for anybody interested in learning about the nature of statesubject relations during China's modernization.
Johnson is a true reporter. That's meant as the highest accolade for someone who only tells stories where he can touch, smell and talk to the protagonists. In pursuit of that goal, he travels thousands of miles through China's most inhospitable regions and meticulously chronicles his encounters with a cross section of individuals embroiled in the battle for personal dignity. .
Throughout, his tone is cool and his outlook objective. His account of Falun Gong, for example,...
