I finally finished reading The Beijing of Possibilities, which literally showed up on my doorstep one day – no note. It’s a collection of dreamlike short stories out of the lives of Beijing’s residents, from crime-fighting, gorilla-costumed messengers to thieves, buskers and composers. The stories form an impression of Beijing on the eve of the 2008 Olympics, weaving in the culture, history and present reality of a city undergoing rapid change.
Each surreal-like story had me engaged, particularly because of its visual energy throughout. For example: “A busker plays the happiest of sad tunes on his erhu, and the sweet-potato seller has sweet potatoes for everyone. Glorious cars glide past, a flock of brilliant bicycles, buses filled with contented souls. Thousands of fascinating conversations cross each other in the chill air….”
And then, “vehicles nose forward. Everyone on foot waits by the curb, as at the starting line of a race. And now, the lights change. From north and south, east and west, pedestrians advance.”
Later on, another favorite in the last short story of the book: The Most Beautiful Woman in China, “she contemplated him tucking into the goose head and the duck feet and the frog with peppers and the blood tofu and a stir-fry of chicken with potato and the braised cauliflower. He ate as if he would never eat again; and she quietly drank a little soup and dipped her chopsticks in several dishes, taking just enough as not to seem ungrateful.”
Alas, a taste of Jonathan Tel’s style. In addition to writing short stories, he has worked as a physicist and an opera librettist.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
