CLOUD CHAMBER (THE COMMERCIAL PRESS, AUGUST 2)

While the floodwaters from a burst river crept up to his doorstep one rainy autumn, seasoned China watcher Tim Clissold found comfort in an unlikely source. Su Dongpo of the Song dynasty (960 – 1279) lamented the same “exhausting” endless rain which had turned his cottage into “a small fishing boat,” allowing the two men a moment of shared experience that transcended the barriers of time and space. It inspired businessman Clissold, author of the bestselling memoir Mr. China, to set about translating a series of classical poems that can resonate with any reader. These lines span two millennia, and can roar to epic heights of a mighty empire undone by one ruler’s lust, then mosey down to the humdrum misery of hair loss. Whatever your mood, it’s certain there’s a Chinese poet who’s been there before.