Double Happiness

Tony Brasunas's award-winning debut memoir is a fascinating portrait of life in China and a groundbreaking story of coming of age in today's era of globalization.

In a classroom in sultry Guangzhou, having never before left the United States nor taught a class on anything, armed only with a beginner's grasp of the language, Brasunas is confronted by 37 ninth graders in uniform. Only his intrinsic curiosity about Chinese culture and about himself drives him on, to keep trying in the tense classroom, to trust his instincts in the frenetic and dishonest street markets, and to make new friends from all walks of life.

When the school year ends, Brasunas sets off with just a backpack across the vastness of China, along the Silk Road in the north, and to the edge of ancient Tibet in the west. His rugged road brings daunting perils, unexpected romance, and wild twists of fate that transform his understanding of right and wrong, beauty and truth, suffering and happiness.

Double Happiness is a bold and inspiring journey across China and through the soul of a young American.