Photojournalist Tom Carter traveled for 2 years across the 33 provinces of China to show the diversity of Chinese People in CHINA: Portrait of a People, the most comprehensive book of photography on modern China ever published by a single author.
Surely we can't dispute the stats researched by the Economist, however what this publication fails to deliver in this specific article is context!. How do these low numbers and the tanking economy affect Chinese people and workers. Only one paragraph was given to explain this relationship, leaving my head spinning with stats and little else.
As the author of the book in review, I was quite honored to be interviewed by writer John Sexton. Himself the noteable author of "Contemporary China" (Palgrave Macmillan, 1999), I found his review demonstrated an obvious professional familiarity with China and its people as well as those expats such as myself who live and work in China sans the banker's salary or journalism connections that jades many foreigners perceptions of China - and vice versa.
My name is Tom Carter, and (once again) I and my new photo book are the subjects of this book review. Shameless promotion, perhaps, but due to a non-responsive mainstream media and a limited budget, an indepedent author such as myself has little recourse but to promote his work himself. Thank you for your support.
“But since he decided to publish and promote the book, he has gone about it with the drive and professionalism one would expect someone who was once a publicity-savvy ... More »
My name is Tom Carter and I am the subject of this interview. I found reporter Rebekah Pothaar's questioning very refreshing. She went beyond the usual "what was your favorite place" that I am asked time and again, and also conveyed a real understanding of Chinese culture that many travel writers miss. I was inspired to link this story because of her quality journalism less than because it had to do with me.
"Chinese workers, who are already restive, may find the new year increasingly difficult. If export growth ceases entirely, and jobs are threatened, social responses could be more severe." Those of us expats who reside in China have already seen first hand the effect of limited employment and low wages for Chinese migrant workers and factory workers. These good people are the heart and soul of China's economy, however their wages and working conditions are pathetically low. It ... More »