What Never Leaves

Book excerpt: In his debut work of fiction, Daniel Tam-Claiborne chronicles the experience of living and working as an English teacher in the rural Chinese town of Taigu. In a collection of twenty-two short stories organized around the theme of culture shock, he intersperses the narrative with scenes from his journeys further afield, while constantly questioning his own identity as a Chinese American. "What Never Leaves" is a fascinating and often startling look into China's modern culture and the ceaseless search for understanding in a foreign land. With humor, poise, and curiosity, Tam-Claiborne weaves an intricate portrait of a young man struggling through what it means to travel and what makes us human.