SOURCE: Tung, Timothy. “Travails of a Tireless Traveler.” New Leader 71, no. 13 (8–22 August 1988): 20–21.

In the following review of Riding the Iron Rooster, Tung objects to Theroux's negative portrayal of China, which the critic finds only partially justified.

Paul Theroux's China is not a pretty country. Of all the regions he visited on the trip that resulted in this book [Riding the Iron Rooster], only Tibet rates high. With rare enthusiasm he praises Lhasa, its capital, as “the one place in China I eagerly entered, enjoyed being in, and was reluctant to leave.” When he finally did so, he uttered a prayer: “Please let me come back.”

It was the clear air and scenic beauty of the Himalayas that Theroux fell in love with while in Tibet. The journey there was another matter. In a spirit of adventure, he opted to reach Lhasa by land instead of by air. That...