AN ENTHUSIAST IN CHINA
Sir,-David Hall begins his review of Margaret Garland’s book, Journey to New China, by honestly revealing his prejudice. For this honesty, if not for his prejudice, he may be congratulated; but there is a sustained sneer underlying the whole review which must give a wrong impression to those who have not read the book. To quote only one of many examples of that sneer: "Undoubtedly it needed moral courage to lift the bamboo curtain, but to congratulate oneself on that courage only draws attention to the heavy investment one has made in the validity of one’s enthusiasms." Not only does Mrs. Garland nowhere "congratulate" herself on her courage, or even hold herself out as courageous, but a reading of the book makes it clear that, if she left China enthusiastic about the achievements of the present Government, that enthusiasm arose from her experiences-it was not a prejudice in which she had heavily invested before entering China. The internal evidence of the book is that Mrs. Garland was a cool and levelheaded observer who cross-checked what she was told wherever possible. The least an honestly prejudiced. reviewer could do, I should think, would be to suggest that those interested in the subject should read the book for themselves and form their own conclusions as to the validity of Mrs. Garland’s im-
pressions.
SHIRLEY
SMITH
( Wellington).
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 791, 17 September 1954, Page 5
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228AN ENTHUSIAST IN CHINA New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 791, 17 September 1954, Page 5
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