{"id":7894,"date":"2011-03-07T02:03:44","date_gmt":"2011-03-07T02:03:44","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2011-03-07T02:03:32","modified_gmt":"2011-03-07T02:03:32","slug":"Eight-Questions-Alan-Paul--Big-in-China-","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asiancemagazine.com\/?p=7894","title":{"rendered":"Eight Questions: Alan Paul, \u2018Big in China\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Between 2006 and 2008, experienced reporters in The Wall Street Journal\u2019s China bureau were regularly humbled by the popularity of a WSJ.com column about China written by someone who had next to no background as a China watcher. The column was called \u201cThe Expat Life,\u201d and its author was Alan Paul, husband of then-China Bureau Chief Rebecca Blumenstein. What was humbling about the \u201cThe Expat Life\u201d wasn\u2019t just the page views it managed to rack up, but the unusual quickness with which its author managed to find his stride in China, even going so far as to carve out a space for himself in the Beijing music scene as the front man for blues band Woodie Alan (named Beijing Band of the Year in 2008 by readers of local expat rag City Weekend).<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Now Mr. Paul has compiled the experiences documented in his column into a book, \u201cBig in China,\u201d released by Harper Collins last week. China Real Time caught up with him by email and asked him eight questions about the book, the band and how he\u2019s dealt with going back to the U.S. Excerpts. Following are a few of the questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the title of your book. How did you land on \u201cBig in China?\u201d Is that a \u201cThis is Spinal Tap\u201d reference?<\/p>\n

When your wife told you she\u2019d been offered the chance to become China bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, what went through your head? Did you ever think, \u201cNo, I\u2019ve got a life and three young kids, I\u2019d rather just stay here in New Jersey\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a number of reviews have noted, you were one of a very few male trailing spouses in Beijing\u2019s expat community, living in a country with a highly male-dominated culture. How does a former rock and sports writer deal with that?<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of subjects you talk about in the book is a place called \u201cExpat Land.\u201d How far is it from Beijing? And what\u2019s it like there?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Your book is based largely on your WSJ column, \u2018The Expat Life,\u201d which I think is fair to say was an unexpected success. What was the genesis of the column? And why do you think it resonated with readers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is \u201cChinese blues\u201d? And how did you, a white guy who didn\u2019t speak Chinese, come to start playing it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beijing Blues Woodie Alan<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n