Alec Ash

Thrilled to make it onto NPR's list of their best books of 2024. "In this beautifully written book, Ash introduces us to [urban escapees in rural China]. They fittingly call Dali “Dalifornia,” for its chilled vibes, California-like good weather and picturesque mountains." #year=2024&book=273" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">apps.npr.org/best-books/#ye…

好久不见 Hao Jiu Bu Jian is a cross-culture “culture criticism” podcast focusing on sino-American relationship, pop culture, gender/sexuality and more. Hosted by Winnie(she/her) from Beijing and Drew(he/him) from Michigan. They’re both avid enjoyer of music made by Grimes.

Come listen to my book talk (Chinese edition!) about my Dali book, 大理一年, to hear why people are leaving Chinese cities to move to the mountains. Sunday Apr 12, 6pm at Accent Sisters (right by Union Square, 89 5th ave 702), Luma link to register and support the venue, only $10: luma.com/042mtzx2

Listen to Jesse Appell discuss his memoir, This Was Funnier in China, on the China Books Podcast with Alec Ash: chinabooksreview.com/2026/03/03/jes…

Worthy donation cause in Beirut to help students continue their education amid the bombings: justgiving.com/page/alsama-pr…

What fun to chat to an old friend for work

Breaking news! American decides to live in country that is not America! Read all about it! If only this was a push alert I could have been notified earlier cnn.com/travel/vision-…

"Did the openly gay Backhouse really enjoy over 100 nights of inventive sexual gymnastics with the elderly Empress Dowager Cixi? Probably not." chinabooksreview.com/2026/02/17/dec…

"From now on, the Post will no longer accommodate the admirably omnivorous avidity of its best readers. ... In this way, you encounter nothing but iterations of yourself forever." newyorker.com/books/page-tur…

In our new column "What China's Thinking," the prolific social media blogger Zhang Feng (张丰) explains how censorship works in the era of WeChat, and talks us through a changing media landscape. Read the Q&A: chinabooksreview.com/2026/01/27/wct…

We are so f*ed.

Everyone come see Jesse Appell's one man show at @AsiaSocietyNY! And follow the China Books Podcast @chinabksreview for our forthcoming chat about his forthcoming book asiasociety.org/new-york/event…

.@alexludoboyd and I recommend five China books to put on your reading list for 2026, and make you feel even more guilty for not having finished the ones you wanted to read last year chinabooksreview.com/2026/01/13/ncb…

In China, driverless delivery vans have become a total meme, they plow through crumbling roads, fresh concrete, motorcycles, anything. Nothing stops them.

Well this reminds me of Britain c.1842

"The emancipation of Chinese women was never a benevolent gift handed down from male leaders on high." Another cracking piece by Zheng Churan (one of the feminist five) in @chinabksreview reviewing a book about sawmill protesters chinabooksreview.com/2025/12/11/saw…

Great to see Barbara Demick and Patrick McGee in here, who we've both hosted for talks at @AsiaSocietyNY nytimes.com/2025/11/24/boo…

Thank you to @alecash and the team at @chinabksreview for excerpting our graphic novel, YOU MUST TAKE PART IN REVOLUTION, which the magazine calls "a dark read which pulls no punches." ⬇️ TAKE A LOOK AT THESE NEWLY EXCERPTED PAGES: chinabooksreview.com/2025/11/20/rev…

Oof, right down the middle. Biggest deterrence is a strong US position thewirechina.com/2025/11/16/fig…

Read Na Zhong's (@nazhongwriting) latest "What China's Reading" column, her bimonthly roundups of the latest in sinophone literature. This edition takes us around Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and elsewhere — each work grappling with escape from confinement, in all its forms: chinabooksreview.com/2025/11/18/wcr…