Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven

UNDRESS ME IN THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN
By Susan Jane Gilman
2010
320 pages
Grand Central Publishing
Summary Taken from Barnes and Noble Website:
In 1986, Susan Jane Gilman and a classmate embarked on a bold trek around the globe starting in the People's Republic of China. At that point, China had been open to independent backpackers for roughly ten minutes. Armed only with the collected works of Nietzsche and Linda Goodman's Love Signs, the two friends plunged into the dusty streets of Shanghai. Unsurprisingly, they quickly found themselves in over their heads—hungry, disoriented, stripped of everything familiar, and under constant government surveillance. Soon, they began to unravel—one physically, the other psychologically. As their journey became increasingly harrowing, they found themselves facing crises that Susan didn't think they'd survive. But by summoning strengths she never knew she had—and with help from unexpected friends—the two travelers found their way out of a Chinese heart of darkness.
My Thoughts:
Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven is one of the best books I have read this year. I bought it used from Amazon for $1.00 about a month ago after reading a great review. It's a book you will read and then want to talk about. I immediately loaned it to a friend who was traveling to Ireland knowing she would need a good book for the flight. She also loved it.
The experiences that Susan and Claire have are amazing, horrific, and hilarious. A roller coaster of emotion. I literally couldn't put the book down, sitting it on the bathroom counter to brush my teeth or fix dinner. Yes! It's that good! If you are looking for THE summertime read I recommend that you pick this one up immediately. Don't forget to drop me a line and tell me what you thought!
I plan to get another book she wrote called Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress as soon as possible.