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Pallavi's Aiyar's Smoke And Mirrors brought back memories of my first visit to Shanghai, where I spent eight, sometimes very frustrating though eventually quite rewarding months, developing the market for our products. That was way back in 1998. Since then I have been to China many times, though for shorter periods – the most recent being this April. Each time, I am amazed by the sheer progress made since my previous visit. And also at the way the Chinese seem to have adopted the 'westernisation' of lifestyles, while retaining their culture.

Smoke and Mirrors presents the pulse of modern day China woven in a tapestry of Chinese history and culture. The book helps understand the dualities of modern China – blatant capitalism flourishing with communism at the core, apparent freedom of lifestyle with controlled thought process.

The book flows easily. Aiyar's journalistic background shows in the way the book has been presented. It is both a memoir as well as a comment on the socio-political scenario that is often a contrast to the economic growth of China. It also provides a good insight into the modern generation's mind and aspirations as well the "pain" of dislocation and abandonment faced by the older generation in China.

What stands out in the book is how the contradictions of Modern China – the country's obsession with creating history with the Olympics in the background, even as tradition and modernity, communism and capitalism, chaos and control, freedom and dissent – jostle with each other constantly.

Portraying China as perceived by Indians and vice versa; an alter ego of each other, the book brings out differences in state of affairs, mindset and route to growth of the two neighbours, both partners and rivals in growth.

I have no hesitation in recommending the book as a must read for people venturing to China on assignments or to set up business. The book will help provide the right perspective and prepare Indians for China. It will serve as a good guide to understand the intricacies of the Chinese culture and their business model – something that took me quite some time to understand because there was no such volume eight years ago. Smoke And Mirrors covers most relevant information in an informal, easy-to-absorb way, filling in the knowledge gaps between guidelines issued by trade associations and the government, books on tourisms and talks at various seminars by China experts.

Having said that, one should not assume that reading the book will make understanding China a cakewalk. The book is written in a travelogue fashion and travelogues are always tinted with fond memories, and warts are ignored. Thus, the problems of language, food, lack of transparency of information and sheer time taken for simplest of things in China is glossed over as humorous incidents.

We often tend forget the problems and frustrations when we recall our past experiences and remember the good parts, turning frustrating past experience into interesting travel tales. Though Aiyar's book captures the essence of China, it also softens the travails one has to often go through while trying settle in the country.

Sonali Dutta

The author is vice-president, corporate affairs, with Bry Air

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