The Shanghai Free Taxi

Journeys with the Hustlers and Rebels of the New China

By: Frank Langfitt

Narrated by: Frank Langfitt

As any traveler knows, some of the best and most honest conversations take place during car rides. So, when a long-time NPR correspondent wanted to learn more about the real China, he started driving a cab--and discovered a country amid seismic political and economic change.
China--America's most important competitor--is at a turning point. With economic growth slowing, Chinese people face inequality and uncertainty as their leaders tighten control at home and project power abroad.
In this adventurous, original book, NPR correspondent Frank Langfitt describes how he created a free taxi service--offering rides in exchange for illuminating conversation--to go beyond the headlines and get to know a wide range of colorful, compelling characters representative of the new China. They include folks like "Beer," a slippery salesman who tries to sell Langfitt a used car; Rocky, a farm boy turned Shanghai lawyer; and Chen, who runs an underground Christian church and moves his family to America in search of a better, freer life.
Blending unforgettable characters, evocative travel writing, and insightful political analysis, The Shanghai Free Taxi is a sharply observed and surprising book that will help readers make sense of the world's other superpower at this extraordinary moment.

Critic reviews

"Langfitt's understated yet intimate interviews with his passengers and captivating descriptions of the country and food take center stage. In addition to encountering real people, listeners will learn about a unique nation as they enjoy a first-rate jaunt around its territory."—-Audiophile Magazine

A Window into Everyday Life in Modern China

The Shanghai Free Taxi is exactly the book I was looking for. I wanted a clearer sense of what everyday life in China is like today and what people there are actually thinking about. For years I’ve imagined finding a pen pal in China, someone I could exchange emails with as we gradually shared ideas and came to understand each other’s lives. This book accomplishes something even better. By offering free taxi rides in exchange for conversation, the author meets a wide range of ordinary people and asks simple but revealing questions: What matters to them? How has their country changed their lives?

The book is also very easy to read. I found myself wanting the conversations to continue and was disappointed when it finally ended.

Informative & Fascinating

Am excellent window to today’s China. The views and opinions of the Chinese people often are complex. By his conversations and friendship with his riders the author helps to clarify and bring some understanding to what motivates China in today’s world.

Excellent Book

Great way to understand the nuance of China from a perspective other than their government. Really enjoyed the stories.

Spot on discussion of modern China

I spent time in China from 2007 to 2015. I could completely relate to his experience, especially ,Beer the used car salesman.
It is a little frightening to contemplate what could happen in China. Then the author steers us back from the edge. Now I'm just concerned.
The book is a great listen with outstanding narration.

Informative and thought provoking.

If you enter this experience as I did, with no expectation except entertainment - and perhaps solving some mysteries about the Chinese - you’ll get that and more. I wasn’t expecting to learn about impactful events, both historical and contemporary, that a people who consider themselves informed and worldly should know. What surprised me most is the way so much of Chinese culture, policy, and politics is a reflection of those aspects in the U.S., including - and maybe especially - the erosion of trust in the interest of political domination.

I can’t decide if Langfitt was the best narrator. I generally prefer authors lending their own voice, but Langfitt is clearly accustomed to delivering short and fast stories. With so many words and descriptions that are literally foreign to these ears, my brain often lagged behind and it often impeded comprehension. But I could not have appreciated the way he acknowledged that his own life has been what so many pursue in all parts of the world.

Overall, a great story that’s piqued my interest in learning more about China.