
Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven
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Narrated by:
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Susan Jane Gilman
About this listen
Bestselling author Susan Jane Gilman's memoir is a hilarious and harrowing journey—a modern heart of darkness filled with Communist operatives, backpackers, and pancakes.
They were young, brilliant, and bold. They set out to conquer the world. But the world had other plans for them.
Bestselling author Susan Jane Gilman's new memoir is a hilarious and harrowing journey, a modern heart of darkness filled with Communist operatives, backpackers, and pancakes.
In 1986, fresh out of college, Gilman and her friend Claire yearned to do something daring and original that did not involve getting a job. Inspired by a place mat at the International House of Pancakes, they decided to embark on an ambitious trip around the globe, starting in the People's Republic of China. At that point, China had been open to independent travelers for roughly ten minutes.
Armed only with the collected works of Nietzsche, an astrological love guide, and an arsenal of bravado, the two friends plunged into the dusty streets of Shanghai. Unsurprisingly, they quickly found themselves in over their heads. As they ventured off the map deep into Chinese territory, they were stripped of everything familiar and forced to confront their limitations amid culture shock and government surveillance. What began as a journey full of humor, eroticism, and enlightenment grew increasingly sinister-becoming a real-life international thriller that transformed them forever.
Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven is a flat-out thriller, an astonishing true story of hubris and redemption told with Gilman's trademark compassion, lyricism, and wit.
©2009 Susan Jane Gilman (P)2009 Hachette AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
Great Story
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Narration ruined this story.
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I would recommend this book to anyone.
excellent
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No story
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A Fabulous Journey & A Wonderful Listen
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If you could sum up Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven in three words, what would they be?
I'm a fan of nonfiction, travel, and suspense - this narrative has it all! Couldn'tHooked!
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Try it.
really good.
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A book steeped in blessed reality!
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What made the experience of listening to Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven the most enjoyable?
The conciseness, prose and reality. The social commentary and intense descriptive prose of some very real, but difference, characters.What was one of the most memorable moments of Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven?
I cannot narrow it down to one single moment. There were many.What about Susan Jane Gilman’s performance did you like?
The easy tone and NOT over-emotionalism which is often the case with americans who read their own works.Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Several, but I can say the most moving was when she went BACK on her travels to learn and explore more. Not staying insular in the USA.Any additional comments?
I read this book by accident as I normally NEVER read any book that has been abridged. I am only sadder now that it was abridged. How much more enjoyable and pleasing the read would have been if it was read in its entirety.Abridged books should be banned. My opinion, of course, but I want to read all that the author says and not have some other entity decide what to cut. Bad.
If only this book had NOT been abridged!
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OK story, well written and narrated
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