Shenzhen A Travelogue from China

Guy Delisle — 2006

The follow-up graphic novel to the acclaimed "Pyongyang: A Journey to North Korea" "Shenzhen "is entertainingly compact, with Guy Delisle's observations of life in a cold urban city in southern China that is sealed off from the rest of the country by electric fences and armed guards. With a dry wit and a clean line, Delisle makes the most of his time spent in Asia overseeing outsourced production for a French animation company. By translating his fish-out-of-water experiences into accessible graphic novels, Delisle is quick to find the humor and point out the differences between Western and Eastern cultures. Yet he never forgets to relay his compassion for the simple freedoms that escape his colleagues by virtue of living in a Communist state.

Reviews

Nadine @intlnadine

Feb 18, 2022

A fun blast from the past of Shenzhen in the 90's. Delisle writes about a period when he was temporarily living in Shenzhen, a time when it took hours to get between HK and Shenzhen, and few people spoke English. Even though it is situated in China with all the difficulties of language and culture, it is not dissimilar to what any business traveller on an extended trip may experience in a foreign country or city. Including breaking through into relationships with colleagues just as one is about to depart.