Sounds of the River: A Young Man's University Days in Beijing

In this sequel to his acclaimed memoir, Colors of the Mountain, teenager Da Chen takes his first train ride away from the farm he was raised on to his new university life in Beijing. He soon faces a host of ghastly challenges, including poor living conditions, lack of food, and suicidal roommates. Undaunted by these hurdles, and armed with a dogged determination to learn English and "all things Western," he competes to win a chance to study in America - a chance that rests in the shrewd and corrupt hands of the almighty professors.