The Book: "Apologies to My Censor: The High and Low Adventures of a Foreigner in China", by Mitch Moxley
When I purchased the Toyota Camry from my grandfather, I saw them everywhere. (And unfortunately for me, saw that most Toyota Camry drivers are, in fact, grandparents, aside from this 20-something lass.) Much in the same vein, when I decided to move to Beijing, I saw China-related things everywhere. At book stores especially, anything with the word “China” on the cover caught my eye. My first experience traveling to Asia – my first time living abroad – I figured anything that could shed light on China would be useful. So I picked up a bunch of books written by expats (mostly journalists) who lived in China. Mitch Moxley's “Apologies to My Censor” was one such purchase made a week before my departure.
Overview
“Apologies to My Censor: The High and Low Adventures of a Foreigner in China” is an account by journalist Mitch Moxley on his years living in Beijing. He worked as an employee of the China Daily newspaper for a number of years, freelancing on the side in an attempt to tell impactful stories from China and its neighbors. In his book, he recounts experiences being cast in a Chinese music video, searching for sources for his latest article and working as a journalist during the 2008 Olympic games, among others.
Let's Break It Down
When he moved to Beijing, Moxley had already tried – and abandoned – living abroad in Asia. It hadn't gone according to plan, nor had his journalism career in Canada. So when the opportunity arose to work at the China Daily in 2007, he reasoned it would be a good opportunity to freelance and experience the 2008 Olympics firsthand. As most journalists will tell you, the China Daily is an example of the kind of censorship China is famous for. They must gain approval from the powers-that-be for daily content, and rarely rock the boat with genuine investigative reporting. Moxley had wondered if he could make a difference – influence them with his Western journalistic ideals.
He quickly found he could not.
He also couldn't seem to find the motivation to learn Chinese – an admittedly difficult language, nor could he seem to resist copious drinking and dining out with his coworkers. He spent many a season lounging about, waiting for experiences and adventure to find him while he held up with instant coffee and discount DVDs in his apartment.
For much of his early time in the city, he simply didn't work to experience China.
Then, as his resources and patience for the China Daily dwindled, his motivation for freelance opportunities rose. He traveled to Guangzhou and Erlian, among other places, to source for investigative stories on prostitution, business practices, etc. Through seemingly random experiences like participating in a Chinese dating TV show, he stumbled upon other oddities that warranted a story. One such story, published in The Atlantic, exposed the Chinese practice of employing white men to act as “quality control,” putting a foreign face on a company to make it look more legitimate in the international scene.
After six years, Moxley finally got a handle on the language. He left Beijing, taking with him years of odd memories and challenging experiences to remember the Middle Kingdom by.
My Take
Sharing personal experience is a bold act. It takes hard work and self-assurance to tell your own story, and do so in an insightful, educational and engaging way. Throughout the book, Moxley tells his story, and he isn't afraid to expose himself in less-than-desirable ways throughout. I believe one of the keys to a great autobiographical tale is letting the author dislike you to some degree. Moxley does that. Unfortunately for him, I swung further toward dislike than he probably intended. As an eager expat looking at her first year abroad, I was discouraged to read such a negative account. He lamented the struggles he faced with the language, and the boredom he experienced while living in the city. For large portions of the book, I felt he placed the blame of his negative experiences on the place, evading all responsibility for the lows of his adventures.
As the reader, I'll wholeheartedly argue that ratio is skewed. We get what we give in any experience, and I believe he put little into making China the adventure it can be for any expat. His privilege and circumstance set him up for success and excitement, and he chose to complain instead of rise to the challenge. In my nearly six months here to date, I would never describe this city the way he does. I see it instead as a delightful challenge that will push hard on you only to reward you when you persevere through the oddities and anxieties it presents. While his book had entertaining and truthful moments, the tone of it discouraged me. He spoke as if he spoke for all expats – but I assure you, he doesn't speak for me.
If you're looking for a well-written, albeit cynical account of one expats experience, you're welcome to read Moxley's account. But please do so with a hefty grain of salt on the side. When you close the book, I encourage you to close your mind to that cynicism and instead seek the crazy chaos he describes, so you can enjoy the city far more than he seems to.
You can order Apologies to My Censor: The High and Low Adventures of a Foreigner in China from Amazon here.
When I purchased the Toyota Camry from my grandfather, I saw them everywhere. (And unfortunately for me, saw that most Toyota Camry drivers are, in fact, grandparents, aside from this 20-something lass.) Much in the same vein, when I decided to move to Beijing, I saw China-related things everywhere. At book stores especially, anything with the word “China” on the cover caught my eye. My first experience traveling to Asia – my first time living abroad – I figured anything that could shed light on China would be useful. So I picked up a bunch of books written by expats (mostly journalists) who lived in China. Mitch Moxley's “Apologies to My Censor” was one such purchase made a week before my departure.
Overview
“Apologies to My Censor: The High and Low Adventures of a Foreigner in China” is an account by journalist Mitch Moxley on his years living in Beijing. He worked as an employee of the China Daily newspaper for a number of years, freelancing on the side in an attempt to tell impactful stories from China and its neighbors. In his book, he recounts experiences being cast in a Chinese music video, searching for sources for his latest article and working as a journalist during the 2008 Olympic games, among others.
Let's Break It Down
When he moved to Beijing, Moxley had already tried – and abandoned – living abroad in Asia. It hadn't gone according to plan, nor had his journalism career in Canada. So when the opportunity arose to work at the China Daily in 2007, he reasoned it would be a good opportunity to freelance and experience the 2008 Olympics firsthand. As most journalists will tell you, the China Daily is an example of the kind of censorship China is famous for. They must gain approval from the powers-that-be for daily content, and rarely rock the boat with genuine investigative reporting. Moxley had wondered if he could make a difference – influence them with his Western journalistic ideals.
He quickly found he could not.
He also couldn't seem to find the motivation to learn Chinese – an admittedly difficult language, nor could he seem to resist copious drinking and dining out with his coworkers. He spent many a season lounging about, waiting for experiences and adventure to find him while he held up with instant coffee and discount DVDs in his apartment.
For much of his early time in the city, he simply didn't work to experience China.
Then, as his resources and patience for the China Daily dwindled, his motivation for freelance opportunities rose. He traveled to Guangzhou and Erlian, among other places, to source for investigative stories on prostitution, business practices, etc. Through seemingly random experiences like participating in a Chinese dating TV show, he stumbled upon other oddities that warranted a story. One such story, published in The Atlantic, exposed the Chinese practice of employing white men to act as “quality control,” putting a foreign face on a company to make it look more legitimate in the international scene.
After six years, Moxley finally got a handle on the language. He left Beijing, taking with him years of odd memories and challenging experiences to remember the Middle Kingdom by.
My Take
Sharing personal experience is a bold act. It takes hard work and self-assurance to tell your own story, and do so in an insightful, educational and engaging way. Throughout the book, Moxley tells his story, and he isn't afraid to expose himself in less-than-desirable ways throughout. I believe one of the keys to a great autobiographical tale is letting the author dislike you to some degree. Moxley does that. Unfortunately for him, I swung further toward dislike than he probably intended. As an eager expat looking at her first year abroad, I was discouraged to read such a negative account. He lamented the struggles he faced with the language, and the boredom he experienced while living in the city. For large portions of the book, I felt he placed the blame of his negative experiences on the place, evading all responsibility for the lows of his adventures.
As the reader, I'll wholeheartedly argue that ratio is skewed. We get what we give in any experience, and I believe he put little into making China the adventure it can be for any expat. His privilege and circumstance set him up for success and excitement, and he chose to complain instead of rise to the challenge. In my nearly six months here to date, I would never describe this city the way he does. I see it instead as a delightful challenge that will push hard on you only to reward you when you persevere through the oddities and anxieties it presents. While his book had entertaining and truthful moments, the tone of it discouraged me. He spoke as if he spoke for all expats – but I assure you, he doesn't speak for me.
If you're looking for a well-written, albeit cynical account of one expats experience, you're welcome to read Moxley's account. But please do so with a hefty grain of salt on the side. When you close the book, I encourage you to close your mind to that cynicism and instead seek the crazy chaos he describes, so you can enjoy the city far more than he seems to.
You can order Apologies to My Censor: The High and Low Adventures of a Foreigner in China from Amazon here.