Reviews for Minor Heresies, Major Departures: A China Mission Boyhood

The average rating for Minor Heresies, Major Departures: A China Mission Boyhood based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-05-10 00:00:00 James Pierce Oh, I am so pleased to see that this fantastic book is once again in print. I stumbled upon my copy at our local used book store with no idea of the delights waiting for me. My copy, just called Minor Heresies, presumably the first section of this currently available omnibus, is dated 1947. I cannot put it down. I would not have guessed that a memoir about life as a missionary's child in Shanghai in the period between WWI and WWII could be so fun. I was not surprised at all that several chapters of this memoir were first published in the New Yorker in the 1940s. The book is written with that kind of amused and intelligent voice that you often find there. But the story is a singular one. I am thrilled that I picked up two of Espey's books this weekend because I am almost finished with this one and don't want to put it down. How can it be that I had not heard of this author before? Definitely an under-rated classic!

Review # 2 was written on 2008-11-11 00:00:00 Vanessa Pelle John Espey's very dry wit makes this memoir quite enjoyable. He had an interesting boyhood in early 20th century China, and tells of it in humble, humourous passages. The language is a little formal, but once I got into the rhythm of it, I thoroughly enjoyed it.