The First Chapter of "Two Innocents in China"

The first chapter is very much the equivalent of a stall-window. They say you should read fifty pages of a book before you give up on it, but most people only last about fifteen. If you ignore the various introductions and practical editorials that precede it, the first chapter of "Two Innocents" is a lovely display of wares indeed. The writing is snappy and humorous, irreverent and edifying - once again analogous to Trudeau's legendary time as Prime Minister.

Both these men are clearly courageous fellows. At this point, there were only three countries between them that they hadn't been to - Portugal, Romania, and Paraguay - and they weren't idle tourists either. Trudeau tells how he snuck into Eastern China through Hong Kong, staying in a Nationalist camp and experiencing the Civil War up close. So far Hebert has told no such tale but I am sure he has been in similar situations.