"Unsavory Elements: stories of foreigners on the loose in China" sounded like the umpteenth publication containing the typical China "Wild West" stories as penned down by my former and current fellow expats – and not all stories are worth telling. Author, (and in this particular case also editor) Tom Carter -- travel writer, photographer ("China: Portrait of a People") and New York Times best-selling freelance writer -- originally hails from San Francisco, California, yet currently resides in Shanghai.

Several (most if not all, in fact) of the "Unsavory Elements" original accounts start off with a sense of pure disorientation or even silliness on the writer's part, feelings that come with China expat life on an almost daily basis. However, as the stories move along, so do the authors, facing their challenges head-on and leaving their respective precarious position, or just plain mess, behind with that tangible feel of accomplishment and possibility.

Even today, Westerners still pour into China to pursue their dreams of conquest and success in the Far East. Sometimes bizarre, at other times beyond baffling, the China expat life covers a range of emotions that one would probably not experience in their native country. For this anthology, Carter invited a further 27 foreigners who have resided (or still do) in China for longer periods of time, to entertain readers with one tale of their more outrageous experiences.

The result of Carter's (and contributors) long-term project was a surprisingly refreshing, instead of rehashing, collection of essays, written by professionals, instead of amateurs, who through their own words and styles give a graphic -- at times hilarious, at times beautiful, but always relatable -- portrayal of the uncertainties, thrills and barriers any China expat has at one point had to face and overcome.

The stories all manage to seize the reader's attention, capture their interest and make them part of the story through their colorful vocal pallet and keen eye for detail.

From funny to fearsome to fascinating, some more average typecast expats yet all marked by the same curiosity, the 28 stories make for a nice lazy Sunday afternoon read.

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