Author Description

One Of Asia's Most Important Public Intellectuals, Wang Gungwu Is Best-known For His Explorations Of Chinese History In The Long View, And For His Writings On The Chinese Overseas. Wang Was Born In Surabaya, Java, But His Parents' Orientation Was Always To China; They Had Travelled To Southeast Asia To Help In The Education Of The Chinese Overseas. Wang Grew Up In The Plural, Multiethnic Town Of Ipoh, Malaya, Now Malaysia, Was Educated At Home In The Confucian Classics And In English Medium Schools As A Colonial Subject. He Proceeded From Ipoh To National Central University In Nanjing To Study Alongside Some Of The Finest Of His Generation Of Chinese Undergraduates. The Victory Of Mao Zedong's Communist Party Interrupted His Education, And He Ends This Volume With His Return To Malaya. Wise And Moving, This Is A Fascinating Reflection On Family, Identity And Belonging, And On The Ability Of The Individual To Find A Place Amidst The Historical Currents That Have Shaped Asia And The World.--provided By Publisher. Part 1 My Small World -- From Surabaya To Ipoh P. 19 -- The World From Green Town P. 27 -- A Taste Of China P. 37 -- Empire's End And Other Spheres P. 46 -- My Mother Remembers P. 51 -- Part 2 Learning To Roam -- War Comes To Malaya P. 73 -- Town Boy P. 78 -- Another Kind Of Learning P. 86 -- A New Norm P. 97 -- Preparing To Go Home P. 105 -- My Mother Remembers The War P. 111 -- Part 3 To Nanjing -- Extended Family P. 125 -- Getting To Nanjing P. 137 -- Five Months With My Parents P. 145 -- Settling Down To Study P. 152 -- My Teachers P. 160 -- Learn From Friends P. 173 -- My Mother Back In Ipoh P. 183 -- Part 4 Ipoh -- Re-orient P. 193 -- Starting Over P. 203. Wang Gungwu. Includes Index. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. In English.