China Bus by André Darlington

China Bus Reviews

• 
  Kat Kennedy

  We all know the saying, “Good things come in small packages.” Well, in this case, make that great things. China Bus by Andre Darlington is a gem of a book. Yes, it is small. A little chapbook of poetry, but it is weighty. Darlington warns us from the beginning, “You have no idea where these sentences have been.” It is where they go that is the treasure of this book.
  Written on his commute between Chinatown in Philadelphia and Chinatown in New York City, Darlington chronicles his thoughts and impressions. Some buried and shaken from his subconscious as the rickety bus makes its cumbersome way, others newly minted as he observes his fellow passengers, all wonderfully chronicled in a marvelous mixture of grit, woe, amusement and travel advise – “Under no circumstances should you touch under your seat on a Chinatown bus.” This is one of those little books you’ll turn to again and again for its wit and honesty. (I’ve read it three times.)
  Truly deep and thought provoking this book is one not to miss. Oh, and the proceeds go to benefit Mighty Warriors, an organization teaching Philadelphia kids ages 7 to 17 to think and write with clarity. (I know what I’m giving my poetry group for Christmas!)
  
• 
  Chris

  In China Bus, André Darlington compiles prose poems he’s written over the span of a summer spent commuting from Philadelphia to New York City on the inexpensive but prone-to-breaking-down Chinatown buses. The vignettes focus mostly on the bus and its riders, and it’s striking how such a slim volume can pack in so many little snapshots of various lives, including that of the author. With each successive poem, he builds a shadowy profile of himself, and readers can’t help but wonder whether they’re getting a glimpse into the author’s true psyche or just a character he’s crafted to narrate his story.
  
  Darlington’s sense of humor is like a breath of fresh air (I chuckled more than once, especially having ridden on the Chinatown bus myself) in a genre often filled with too-serious attempts at poignancy. But beneath their wit and sometimes shudder-inducing imagery, the poems do have a meaningful core and often touch on issues like poverty, capitalism, and immigration in a way that never sounds self-righteous. In this way, the author is a master craftsman: he draws us in with a story and leaves us with a sense that we’ve discovered something important about life and how we choose to live it.
• 
  Cynthia

  The travel reveries in China Bus are often full of strange encounters and lovely observations. It seems the author jotted down many of these observations, musings and memories while on what appears to be the rickety Chinatown bus line between Philadelphia and New York City. Often his realizations are rare and humorous, but other times they appear disconnected, especially since we don’t have the benefit of titles to frame each prose poem. I enjoyed reading about the old pay phone in Wisconsin, the Himalayan drivers and how they pray to little plastics gods, the reveries on Chopin, among others. His prose poetry calls to a time and place, though honest, is missing detailed encounters that would add to the ongoing, mix of images, and allow for a deeper understanding. The book cover features eye-catching street art that complements the work.
• 
  Yvonne Glasgow

  Not surprisingly, once you've held this book in your hand, this was a very quick read. Surprisingly, it was a very deep book of small thoughts and stories. Small in their length, not small in their thoughts. I found this book to be intriguing and thought-provoking.
  
  I've never been to a Chinatown in any city, yet I found this to be an interesting telling of what it would be like to ride a bus from one to another. It's gripping, heart-wrenching, and fascinating. If you travel, if you think and feel, if you simply like to read, this book will fill your mind. I truly enjoyed it, from the first look at the China bus to the final words of ashes and gum wrappers.
• 
  Christine Liwag Dixon

  Some of the pieces in this collection stretch the definition of “prose poetry” but “China Bus” is nevertheless heartrendingly lovely. Many of the vignettes appear to be observations made as the author rides the Chinatown bus line between Philadelphia and NYC, while others take a more nostalgic turn.
  
  “China Bus” reads is a journal of unfiltered emotion. You don’t get the sense that the pieces gathered in its pages have been edited and rehashed. Instead, we are treated to the author’s thoughts and dreams and memories in all of their raw glory.
  
• 
  Sandhya Ramachandran

  A 3.5!
  
  Andre Darlington's lets us board the 'China Bus' and slowly get acquainted with the broken chairs, the hookers and his own thoughts in this book.
  
  While the premise sounds fascinating, only a few parts of this book are truly about the bus and what it evokes. I did not enjoy the musings on Beckett and Bartleby and Nachtrager. It seemed a bit out of context since I was thoroughly enjoying the various facets of the China Bus and what it represents to its riders. So, the distraction to literary talk did not bode well for me.
  
  Andre creates a great visual of the China Bus and one actually wishes he'd shared more vignettes from his journeys on the bus. The book ends too quickly and leaves one wanting for more!
  
  A very interesting and experimental book, I definitely recommend it for the striking language and unique concept.