The Gobi Desert

In intelligent, jargon-free prose, the author takes readers on a colorful tour of the Gobi Desert, from its natural wonders to its conflicts with society. Illustrations.

The socalled Sino-Swedish Expedition was a bilateral undertaking led by Sven Hedin that conducted scientific research in northern and northwestern China from 1927 to 1935. The expedition was particularly concerned with the meteorology, topography, and prehistory of Mongolia, the Gobi Desert, and Xinjiang. Chiang Kai-shek was one of the patrons of the expedition. In the years 1927-32 the party travelled from Beijing via Baotou, Mongolia, Gobi Desert, Xinjiang to Urumqi. Some of the adventures of these years are described in this book, that was originally published in 1931.

Describes the geology & history of the Gobi Desert in Central Asia. The Gobi lies in the immense rain shadow of the Himalayas. It offers a wide variety of habitats, including large expanses of bare rock rather than sand. It is a cold desert and snow falls from time to time. This has led to the evolution of a unique ecology.

Foreword by Janet Yellen Weijian Shan's Out of the Gobi is a powerful memoir and commentary that will be one of the most important books on China of our time, one with the potential to re-shape how Americans view China, and how the Chinese view life in America. Shan, a former hard laborer who is now one of Asia's best-known financiers, is thoughtful, observant, eloquent, and brutally honest, making him well-positioned to tell the story of a life that is a microcosm of modern China, and of how, improbably, that life became intertwined with America. Out of the Gobi draws a vivid picture of the raw human energy and the will to succeed against all odds. Shan only finished elementary school when Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution tore his country apart. He was a witness to the brutality and absurdity of Mao’s policies during one of the most tumultuous eras in China’s history. Exiled to the Gobi Desert at age 15 and denied schooling for 10 years, he endured untold hardships without ever giving up his dream for an education. Shan’s improbable journey, from the Gobi to the “People’s Republic of Berkeley” and far beyond, is a uniquely American success story – told with a splash of humor, deep insight and rich and engaging detail. This powerful and personal perspective on China and America will inform Americans' view of China, humanizing the country, while providing a rare view of America from the prism of a keen foreign observer who lived the American dream. Says former Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen: “Shan’s life provides a demonstration of what is possible when China and the United States come together, even by happenstance. It is not only Shan’s personal history that makes this book so interesting but also how the stories of China and America merge in just one moment in time to create an inspired individual so unique and driven, and so representative of the true sprits of both countries.”

Discover the desert in this fact-packed leveled reader! Welcome to the Gobi Desert, where you can find camels, scorpions, and even snow leopards! Explore this huge habitat and meet the many creatures that call it home. But keep an eye out for the ones that are no longer alive, too--the Gobi may have more dinosaur fossils than any other place on Earth! Learn more about this amazing place as well as how you can help protect and preserve it for future generations.

Translated From The Swedish By Elizabeth Sprigge And Claude Napier