Wild Grass

"A captivating and an important study of what is happening on the ground in China today." -The Christian Science Monitor "Compelling. . . . Beautifully spare. . . . Johnson is to be commended for his sensitive rendering of his subjects." -The New York Times

"Illuminating. . . . There is no better [book] on what life is like for ordinary uppity Chinese. . . . Johnson has not only lifted a corner of the curtain which covers China's reality beyond its glittering eastern cities; he has drawn the whole curtain." -The Times Literary Supplement

"Memorable. . . . Perhaps more than any other recent writer, Ian Johnson . . . captures [China's] 'slow-motion revolution.' " -The Baltimore Sun

"Elegant. . . . Through dogged reporting . . . we get an exciting inside view. . . . Wild Grass is journalism at its best." -South China Morning Post

"A triumph. . . . Compelling. . . . A hopeful book. . . . The author's reporting skills are phenomenal. . . . An invaluable aid for anyone . . . hoping to understand [China's] economic and political struggles." -The Washington Times

"A gripping tale of a very few ordinary people and their extraordinary courage in fighting for their rights against the Communist Party leviathan." -The Washington Post Book World

"This year's best general book on China." -China Economic Quarterly

"Elegantly written. . . . Poignant. . . . Insightful, well-crafted. . . . Likely to find a broad readership." -Boston Review

"Cause for hope for China's future. . . . In vivid detail, [Johnson] recounts . . . cases . . . that show that individual Chinese at last have hope that the legal system can help." -Foreign Affairs

"Gripping . . . taut, perceptive writing. . . . Reads in parts like a John Grisham legal thriller." -Houston Chronicle

"Johnson is a wonderful storyteller. . . . His book is filled with evocative passages. . . . He captures the resilient spirit of many Chinese people." -The Christian Science Monitor

"Johnson writes well, wielding a remarkably gentle pen against the grossest injustices or when describing the most remarkable instances of personal bravery. The people written about here could wish for no better chronicler." -The Asian Review of Books

"This year's best general book on China." -China Economic Quarterly