{"product_id":"i-deliver-parcels-in-beijing-9781662603044","title":"I Deliver Parcels in Beijing","description":"\"Hu Anyan's \u003ci\u003eI Deliver Parcels in Beijing\u003c\/i\u003e, translated by Jack Hargreaves, offers an unvarnished dispatch from the front lines of the gig economy, written by a guy who's held nearly every low-wage, low-reward job on the market (delivery driver, security guard, convenience store clerk, bicycle salesman). The Cinderella bit of it is that now he can add a new title: internationally best-selling author.\" --\u003cb\u003eLeah Greenblatt, \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA runaway bestseller in China, sold in 17+ countries, this delightfully honest and humorous account gives a face and voice to the future of work--as if \u003ci\u003eNomadland\u003c\/i\u003e met \u003ci\u003eNickel and Dimed. \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn 2023, \u003ci\u003eI Deliver Parcels in Beijing \u003c\/i\u003ebecame the literary sensation of the year in China. Hu Anyan's story, about short-term jobs in various anonymous megacities, hit a nerve with a generation of young people who feel at odds with an ever-growing pressure to perform and succeed. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eHu started posting essays about his experiences online during COVID lockdowns. His recollection of night shifts in a huge logistics center in the south of China went viral: his nights were so hot that he could drink three liters of water without taking a toilet break; his days were spent searching for affordable rooms with proper air-conditioning; and his few moments of leisure were consumed by calculations of the amount of alcohol needed to sleep but not feel drowsy a few hours later. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eHu Anyan tells us about brutal work, where there is no real future in sight. But Hu is armed with deadpan humor and a strong idea of self. He moves on when he feels stuck--from logistics in the south, to parcel delivery in Beijing, to other impossible jobs. Along the way, he turns to reading and writing for strength and companionship. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eI Deliver Parcels in Beijing\u003c\/i\u003e is an honest and startling first-person portrait of Hu Anyan's struggle against the dehumanizing nature of our contemporary global work system--and his discovery of the power of sharing a story.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHu AnYan was born in Guangzhou, China, in 1979. After graduating from secondary school he joined the workforce, moving around between places and odd jobs to make a living: hotel waiter, convenience store clerk, courier, night shift worker and many more. In 2009 he began to post some writing online, and became a full-time writer after an essay went viral during a COVID lockdown.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Astra House","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51676309782802,"sku":"9781662603044","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_c1303373-c49d-4b9f-9552-e84a326d54f5.jpg?v=1761054254","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/i-deliver-parcels-in-beijing-9781662603044","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}