Wish Lanterns

There are approximately 322 million Chinese aged between 16 and 30 - a group larger than the population of the USA, and destined to have an unprecedented influence on global affairs in the coming years. The one-child policy has led to a generation of only children; there is intense competition for education and jobs, and a tug-of-war between cultural change and tradition, nationalism and the lures of the West. We know the headlines of their lives, but what of the details? Following the lives of six young Chinese, Alec Ash has created an immersive, narrative account of how it feels to be young in today's China: what it means to be an artist, to face academic failure, to remain single, to be addicted to the Internet, to be wealthy and privileged, to choose not to join the Party. Told as six first-person accounts, 'Wish Lanterns' is a vibrant and intimate book.