Somebody Else's Century: East and West in a Post-Western World
“This thoughtful and highly original meditation on the future of Asian societies should be required reading for anyone interested in where our planet is heading.”—Chalmers Johnson, author ofBlowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire “[There are] paradoxes aplenty within this serene, astute book, which will invite much discussion.”—Kirkus Reviews “Ruminative and high-toned…A gift-box of suggestions, it could push thinking about Asia into a deeper dimension.” –Time Magazine“The great human and strategic subject of the next generation will be the interaction between Asian societies increasingly confident of their achievements, prerogatives, and power, and Westerners increasingly nervous on the same score. Patrick Smith’s decades of immersion in the variety of Asian life give him an original, elegantly wrought, and important perspective on this change. Even when I disagreed with his conclusions I found myself thinking about the rich and careful way he makes his case. I am very glad to have read this book.”—James Fallows, author ofPostcards from Tomorrow Square: Reports from China“Searching and philosophical…offers a valuable intellectual frame for approaching the evolving relationship between the East and the West.”—Publishers Weekly"Thoroughly absorbing…The writing is more poetic in tone than political, a gentle hand-holding, guiding readers from past to present."–Minneapolis Star Tribune“Written from the perspective of an author that travels the world in search of something and comes back with just as many questions as he might have found answers…Kudos to Patrick for this. It's definitely a book for the history books.” –Cyrus Webb, host of Conversations LIVE! Radio“An extraordinary work whose thesis is grounded in the realities of day-to-day Asian life…Somebody Else’s Centuryis worth reading, particularly for those interested in East Asian studies.” –Harvard Political Review“Thoughtful…this volume is concise, lucid, erudite, lively and a delight to read.”–The Asian Review of Books “Insightful.”–South China Morning Post