Product Description
Includes a Foreword by Joel L. Naroff, PhD,
President, Naroff Economic Advisors, Inc.
Chief Economist, Commerce Bank
"Over the past century, Americans' images of China have fluctuated wildly from victim, to heroic fighter, to Communist fanatic. We have loved them and feared them. And now, as Sara Bongiorni shows in vivid personal terms, we are in a new phase where it is a little of both. China has become an economic giant that can step on our toes, but that we must embrace."
-John Maxwell Hamilton, Dean and Hopkins P. Breazeale Foundation Professor Manship School of Mass Communication, Louisiana State University
"When the writer resolves to forgo Chinese imports for one year, she leads her lively family in a fascinating experiment that requires surprising feats of will power and ingenuity. The family's adventure through the maze of modern America's consumer life is both thought provoking and delightful to read. Those little 'Made in China' labels will never seem the same again."
-Mark Fabiani, former White House special counsel and media/political consultant
"Breaking up is indeed hard to do, as Sara Bongiorni proves in this winning memoir of her household's one-year boycott of Chinese products. Equal parts Erma Bombeck and economics, A Year Without 'Made in China' is that lively miracle-a crash course in globalization that is also consummately entertaining."
-Danny Heitman, columnist for The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
"A funny and engaging story about one family's experiment in our global economy. The Bongiorni family does without sneakers, sunglasses, and printer cartridges, but develops a dogged creativity and much needed sense of humor. The myriad moral complexities in the relationship between American consumers and Chinese factory are evident in each shopping trip."
-Pietra Rivoli, PhD, Professor, McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University and author, The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy
"You will never go shopping the same way again! It's impossible to read Sara Bongiorni's book and not be captivated by the complexity and challenge of her task, and to then try it yourself for a day and fail miserably at it by lunchtime. This is the rare book that makes you think about how big global issues actually hit home, and it will have you discussing those issues with your friends."
-Chuck Jaffe, Senior Columnist, MarketWatch host, Your Money (www.yourmoneyradio.net)
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 interesting idea...but lots of fluff
I would have appreciated more depth about the actual experience of seeking out products not made in China and fewer irrelevant tangents about the author and her family and friends. The tangents do make the book "read like a novel" but if you aren't after a novel then you may find it annoying to have to wade through the fluff in search of the interesting parts.
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 Not a complete disappointment, just wasn't what I expected. ( ck_361 )
This book is light reading; with 227 pages it's a quick read and at times funny and insightful. However, I didn't get the point.
The "rules" of living a year without felt flimsy; granted, it was a work in progress, but what's the point if you're going to keep breaking the rules? Example: the "gift" exception. You can always ask a relative to buy something you need that's made in China.
If you're going to go a year without, * really * go a year without! Perhaps a better approach would have been to write a book titled "A Year of Made in the USA"... now that would have been tough! Here the writer goes to great lengths to buy items made from other countries.
Personally I think the entire book could have / would have done well as a lengthy article, and I would have gained just as much insight. What the book lacks, and what others have mentioned, is a pairing of this family's decision with a discussion about China. The reader could have benefited from a historical explanation as to why China has infiltrated our economy, and why it's difficult to go without purchasing items made there. I actually consider this a disservice to the reader.
Oh well... not a complete disappointment but it wasn't what I expected.
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 Light weiight ( winegeart )
Boring after the first chapter.
Assigned as a text for my International Business class, the students thought this was a light weight text with the main point established in the first 2 chapters. The rest of the book delves more into family details with more examples of the same.
Save your money, look into your closet and document all the things you have purchased that are made in China. In so doing, you will understand the concept of this book. There are no prescriptions or solutions, just railing about the problem.
Instead, the author should discuss the impact of Made in China:
* Trade imbalances
* Currency devaluation
* Declining educational system
* Bigger government
Do not buy this book. It states the obvious without any solutions.
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 Engaging read
This book is a lot of fun to read and really gets you to think about where things come from. My wife and I both read it. We agreed that she was pretty hard-core. We would not have lasted the whole year. If you've ever looked at the label to see where things come from, or if you have some concerns about our trade deficit with China, this book is one you would enjoy.
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 Good read that makes you think
I really enjoyed reading abut this family's attempt to avoid buying from China. The way in which they approach the challenge was very realistic...the reluctant husband, the concerned, but not too "militant" wife, and the friends and relatives who were a mix of supportive and ridiculing. It was very eye-opening to see the different items they struggled with. I would recommend it to anyone who is trying to be a more conscious consumer.
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