Michael Meyer is returning to the Club to share his brilliant portrait of China today in his new book, The Road to Sleeping Dragon: Learning China from the Ground Up, the third in his China trilogy.

In 1995, at the age of 23, Meyer went to live in a tiny town in Sichuan, China, as a Peace Corps volunteer. He knew nothing about China, not even how to use chopsticks. Thus began his 20-year journey of immersion into Chinese life. In his new book, Meyer captures with humor and insight what it feels like to learn a language, culture and history from the ground up. He discusses understanding the legal system from inside a Chinese courtroom; how politics functions on the ground, showing how he lobbied Wolong officials to not build a “panda coaster” in “Sleeping Dragon,” the world's largest panda preserve; and interviewing the acclaimed political artist Ai Weiwei in his Beijing studio. In his talk, he will recount his journey via photographs and firsthand personal accounts, including the challenging but charming process of courting his future wife. Join us for the third installment of his fascinating journey.

Meyer, a UC Berkley alumnus, is the recipient of numerous writing awards, including awards for best travel book and excellence in travel writing. He is also a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship. His stories have appeared in The New York Times, Time, Smithsonian, Sports Illustrated, Slate, the Financial Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and on “This American Life.”