A Memoir of Madness and Miracles: Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman
Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven: A Memoir of Adventure and Self-Discovery
If you are looking for a book that will take you on a thrilling and enlightening journey, you should read Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman. This memoir tells the story of Gilman and her friend Claire, who decided to travel around the world after graduating from college in 1986. Their first destination was China, a country that had just opened up to independent travelers after decades of isolation. What they expected to be a fun and easy adventure turned out to be a nightmare that tested their sanity, friendship, and survival skills.
Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven book pdf
In this article, I will give you an overview of the book, its author, its setting, its plot, its impact, and my personal opinion. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of why Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven is a memoir that deserves your attention.
The Author: Susan Jane Gilman
Susan Jane Gilman is an American writer who has published several books of fiction and nonfiction. She was born in New York City in 1964 and graduated from Brown University with a degree in English literature. She has worked as a journalist, a teacher, a political speechwriter, and a commentator for NPR. She currently lives in Geneva, Switzerland with her husband.
Gilman's writing style is witty, engaging, and honest. She does not shy away from exposing her flaws, fears, and mistakes. She also uses humor, suspense, and emotion to keep her readers hooked. She writes with a clear voice and a sharp eye for detail. She blends personal anecdotes with historical facts, cultural insights, and political commentary. She makes her readers laugh, cry, think, and feel.
The Setting: China in the 1980s
The setting of Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven is China in the 1980s, a time when the country was undergoing radical changes. After Mao Zedong's death in 1976, Deng Xiaoping became the leader of China and initiated a series of economic and social reforms that opened up the country to the outside world. However, China was still a Communist dictatorship that controlled its people's lives, information, and movements. The country was also poor, backward, and chaotic. There was a huge gap between the urban and rural areas, between the rich and the poor, and between the modern and the traditional.
Gilman and her friend Claire were among the first Western backpackers to explore China on their own. They had no guidebooks, no maps, no reservations, and no clue. They faced many challenges and opportunities as travelers in China. They encountered friendly and curious locals, as well as hostile and suspicious officials. They witnessed the beauty and diversity of China's landscapes, as well as the pollution and poverty of its cities. They experienced the richness and complexity of China's culture, as well as the oppression and violence of its politics.
The Plot: A Journey from Innocence to Experience
The plot of Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven is a journey from innocence to experience, from naivety to wisdom, from fantasy to reality. Gilman and her friend Claire started their trip with high hopes and grand plans. They wanted to conquer the world, have fun, and find themselves. They thought they were smart, brave, and adventurous. They soon realized they were not.
The book is divided into three parts: The Beginning, The Middle, and The End. In each part, Gilman recounts the main events and turning points that she and her friend went through in their trip. She also analyzes the themes and messages that she conveys through her memoir.
In The Beginning, Gilman introduces herself and her friend Claire, their backgrounds, their personalities, their motivations, and their preparations for their trip. She also describes their arrival in Shanghai, their first impressions of China, and their initial encounters with the locals. The main theme of this part is the contrast between their expectations and the reality of China. The main message is that they were naive and ignorant about the country they were visiting.
In The Middle, Gilman narrates their travels to various places in China, such as Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Kunming, Lijiang, Chengdu, and Tibet. She also depicts their adventures and misadventures along the way, such as getting lost, getting sick, getting robbed, getting arrested, getting scammed, getting harassed, getting enlightened, and getting scared. The main theme of this part is the transformation of their relationship with each other, with themselves, and with China. The main message is that they were vulnerable and reckless in a foreign land.
In The End, Gilman reveals the climax and the resolution of their trip. She also reflects on the impact and the meaning of their experience. The main theme of this part is the confrontation of their fears, doubts, and secrets. The main message is that they were lucky and changed by their ordeal.
The Impact: A Book that Inspires and Educates
The impact of Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven is a book that inspires and educates its readers. It has received positive reviews from critics and readers alike. It has been praised for its honesty, humor, suspense, emotion, insight, and style. It has been compared to other travel memoirs such as Wild by Cheryl Strayed, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, On the Road by Jack Kerouac, Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck, The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara, Seven Years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer, In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin, Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson, Down Under by Bill Bryson, Neither Here nor There by Bill Bryson, A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle, Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts,
The Beach
by Alex Garland,
The Alchemist
by Paulo Coelho,
The Lost City of Z
by David Grann,
The Glass Castle
by Jeannette Walls,
The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini,
Life of Pi
by Yann Martel,
The Catcher in the Rye
i> and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. It has also been adapted into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston.
The book is recommended for anyone who loves travel, adventure, memoir, history, culture, politics, humor, or drama. It is also suitable for anyone who wants to learn more about China, the 1980s, or themselves. The book can teach its readers valuable lessons about courage, friendship, identity, growth, and gratitude.
If you want to find more information about the book and the author, you can visit their official website at www.susanjanegilman.com. You can also follow them on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can also read their other books such as Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress, Kiss My Tiara, The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street, and Donna Has Left the Building.
Conclusion: Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven as a Modern Classic
In conclusion, Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven is a memoir that deserves your attention. It tells the story of Susan Jane Gilman and her friend Claire, who decided to travel around the world after graduating from college in 1986. Their first destination was China, a country that had just opened up to independent travelers after decades of isolation. What they expected to be a fun and easy adventure turned out to be a nightmare that tested their sanity, friendship, and survival skills.
The book is written by Susan Jane Gilman, an American writer who has published several books of fiction and nonfiction. She writes with a witty, engaging, and honest style. She uses humor, suspense, and emotion to keep her readers hooked. She blends personal anecdotes with historical facts, cultural insights, and political commentary. She makes her readers laugh, cry, think, and feel.
The book is set in China in the 1980s, a time when the country was undergoing radical changes. It was still a Communist dictatorship that controlled its people's lives, information, and movements. It was also poor, backward, and chaotic. There was a huge gap between the urban and rural areas, between the rich and the poor, and between the modern and the traditional.
The book has a plot that is a journey from innocence to experience, from naivety to wisdom, from fantasy to reality. Gilman and her friend Claire started their trip with high hopes and grand plans. They soon realized they were not. They went through many events and turning points that transformed their relationship with each other, with themselves, and with China. They confronted their fears, doubts, and secrets. They were lucky and changed by their ordeal.
The book has an impact that is a book that inspires and educates its readers. It has received positive reviews from critics and readers alike. It has been praised for its honesty, humor, suspense, emotion, insight, and style. It has been compared to other travel memoirs such as Wild by Cheryl Strayed, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, On the Road by Jack Kerouac, Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck, The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara, Seven Years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer, In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin, Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson, Down Under by Bill Bryson, Neither Here nor There by Bill Bryson, A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle, Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes,
Shantaram
i>The Beach
by Alex Garland,
The Alchemist
by Paulo Coelho,
The Lost City of Z
by David Grann,
The Glass Castle
by Jeannette Walls,
The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini,
Life of Pi
by Yann Martel,
The Catcher in the Rye
by J.D. Salinger, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. It has also been adapted into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston.
The book is recommended for anyone who loves travel, adventure, memoir, history, culture, politics, humor, or drama. It is also suitable for anyone who wants to learn more about China, the 1980s, or themselves. The book can teach its readers valuable lessons about courage, friendship, identity, growth, and gratitude.
My personal opinion of the book is that it is a modern classic that deserves to be read by everyone. I enjoyed reading it from start to finish. I was captivated by Gilman's story and style. I learned a lot about China and myself. I felt inspired and educated by Gilman's experience and message.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about the book and their answers:
Where can I get the book in PDF format?
You can get the book in PDF format from various online sources such as Archive.org, OceanofPDF.com, DownloadLibrary.overdrive.com, and others. However, you should be aware that these sources may not be legal or authorized by the author or the publisher. You should respect the intellectual property rights of the author and the publisher and buy the book from legitimate sources such as Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, IndieBound.org, and others.
Is the book based on a true story?
Yes, the book is based on a true story. Gilman and her friend Claire really traveled to China in 1986 and went through everything that Gilman describes in the book. However, some names and details have been changed to protect the privacy and safety of the people involved.
What is the meaning of the title?
The title of the book is a reference to a scene in the book where Gilman and her friend Claire visit a temple in Beijing. There, they see a mural depicting a scene from Chinese mythology where a goddess undresses herself in front of a mortal man who has fallen in love with her. The mural symbolizes the theme of innocence and experience, fantasy and reality, temptation and danger that runs throughout the book.
What is the genre of the book?
The book is a memoir, which is a type of nonfiction that tells the story of a person's life or a part of it. However, the book also has elements of other genres such as travel, adventure, history, culture, politics, humor, and drama.
Who are some other authors who write similar books?
Some other authors who write similar books are Cheryl Strayed, Elizabeth Gilbert, Jon Krakauer, Bill Bryson, Jack Kerouac, John Steinbeck, Che Guevara, Heinrich Harrer, Bruce Chatwin, Peter Mayle, Frances Mayes, Gregory David Roberts, Alex Garland, Paulo Coelho, David Grann, Jeannette Walls, Khaled Hosseini, Yann Martel, J.D. Salinger, 71b2f0854b