Street of Eternal Happiness

4.5 stars.
A great collection of life stories of a few Shanghainese residents, each of which tells a story of China's modern history. The stories are lively, moving and written in a way that reflects the deep friendship the author had built with them over the years. There is tongue-in-cheek humor amidst the helplessness of the people's disenfranchisement, yet reminds us of their resilience and unwavering perseverance. Of course these stories are not representative of the masses, but it is still a writing with heart, to give a voice to these people who are still fighting for their right for the rule of law. It has been a while since this book was written, and it is fitting that I finished this book on my China trip, surrounded by banners and plaques of the Socialist values, of which freedom, democracy and rule of law are some of them. I hope China becomes a much better society to live in for the sake of these lovely people, as well as my loved ones who live here.

My Rating System:
5⭐️: Excellent book AND influenced a change in my views
4.5⭐️: Excellent read ⬅️⬅️⬅️
4⭐️: Great read, will recommend
3.5⭐️: Enjoyable read but missing something that will make it great
3⭐️: An okay read that I didn't regret spending time on it
2⭐️: Didn't enjoy
1⭐️: Didn't enjoy and had serious issues. Will suggest to avoid.