Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven

I saw the title of this book in the window of my favorite book store (Women and Children First) and I was very intrigued. Then, I saw the author's name "Susan Jane Gilman" written in bold, capital letters and I knew I had to get my hands on it. I don't want to reveal too much of this book because the ending is worth waiting for, but I will say that things are not quite what they seem.


From one of my favorite authors is a memoir about traveling through China in the early '80s. Susan and her friend, Julie, graduate from Brown University and immediately want to take off to conquer the world. They are full of the kind of energy that only 22 year olds have- a sense of excitement and immortality. Unfortunately, things get out of control while in China as they face heavy security, communist agendas, and a third world country. We're talking the kind of China that was just after Nixon as opposed to the China just after the Olympics.

The imagery that Gilman creates allows the reader to be there in China. I can't fully explain my emotions when I finished the book, but I can say that my heart ached for the author and the relationships she made and lost. Basically, the author connects the reader to the human experience despite how far off the actual events seem to be.

Gilman is a fantastic writer because she is raw and hilarious. She is my kind of woman. I can relate to her memoirs because I hear hints of my own life. After college, I also wanted to conquer the world and went on a solo backpacking trip through Europe. I wanted to be independent and adventurous- all the things that a strong woman should be. Now, I can relive those moments by reading entertaining books by Gilman.