3 Review(s)

Smoke and Mirrors: An Experience of China, written by the talented, award-winning Indian journalist Pallavi Aiyar, is an insightful account of life in China. The book is the Winner of the Vodafone-Crossword Readers’ Choice Award 2008. Summary of the Book Smoke and Mirrors: An Experience of China is an intimate account of the way of life in China. The author’s vivid narration in the book brings out the persistent changes that the society there is witnessing. Although India and China share a vast borderline of about 3500 km, and have interacted with each other in various matters for more than 2000 years, an average citizen from both the countries know little of their neighbouring nation. The language, customs and traditions, philosophies, and cuisines, and several other things are little known. The author's own experiences of living in China for about six years make the book even closer to reality, and opens up new avenues of exploration of the country to the readers. About Pallavi Aiyar Pallavi Aiyar is an Indian journalist and author. She has more than a decade’s experience as a foreign correspondent, and has reported from Europe, China and Southeast Asia. Pallavi completed her studies in Philosophy, History and Media Sociology at St. Stephens College, Delhi University, Oxford University and the London School of Economics. She was a Reuters Fellow at the Oxford University in the year 2007 and is also a 2014 World Economic Forum, Young Global Leader. She happens to be the youngest winner of the Prem Bhatia Memorial Prize for acclaimed reporting for her dispatches from China, and the lead author of the latest Lonely Planet guide to China for the Indian market. Some of the other works compiled by Pallavi Aiyar are Chinese Whiskers and Punjabi Parmesan.