“Peter Vernezze's witty and informative book is far more than a lively and often funny series of Socratic dialogues with his deftly characterized Chinese students. It is a chance for us to eavesdrop as this American teacher grapples with students who challenge his own set notions. These debates have much to teach us about how young people in this ever-changing China think about politics, human relations, and even sex education.”—Charles Hayford, visiting scholar, Department of History, Northwestern University, and author of To the People: James Yen and Village China
“Socrates in Sichuan provides a panoramic view of ‘living’ Chinese philosophy in contemporary China. His book is an honest, good-humored, and hugely engaging attempt to describe the pain and the joy of a seasoned teacher’s encounter with Chinese students, who reveal the fears and the values of their generation in this sometimes radically foreign country.”—Roger T. Ames, professor of Chinese philosophy, University of Hawai'i, and editor of the journal Philosophy East and West
“With the observant and nonjudgmental eye of an American philosopher, Peter Vernezze provides fresh insights into the views of a generation now entering the expanding Chinese middle class, which will take part in shaping China's future. This book opens a unique window to understanding what China, and its people, are becoming.”—Xujun Eberlein, author of Apologies Forthcoming
“In the vein of Bill Holm’s Coming Home Crazy, Socrates in Sichuan is a lively introduction to teaching in China and acclimating to the standards of a provincial teacher's college. Vernezze’s respect for and interest in his students’ opinions allows their voices to fill the pages, making this an educational portrait of a unique seminar.”—Michael Meyer, author of The Last Days of Old Beijing: Life in the Vanishing Backstreets of a City Transformed
“Socrates in Sichuan is a fascinating window into the outlook of young Chinese today and is fun to read into the bargain.”—Richard Nisbett, author of The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently. . . and Why
“One of the best ways to understand another culture is to spend time in its education system. Peter Vernezze arrived in China with the rare experience of having taught philosophy in American colleges, and his book is more than just a window into the minds of Chinese students – it’s also a study of how Western philosophical concepts translate into a very different culture.”—Peter Hessler, staff writer at the New Yorker and author of the trilogy Oracle Bones, River Town, and Country Driving