Anna Keibler’s “A Ghost in the Middle Kingdom” is a vivid and unflinching memoir of her years living in China as a young American woman navigating culture shock, mental illness, bureaucratic chaos, and personal transformation. At times funny, uncomfortable, and heartfelt, the book reads like a coming-of-age story wrapped inside an expat survival guide, all told with candid, unpolished honesty.
Memoirs are somewhat a dime a dozen nowadays, but what makes this memoir stand out is Keilber’s relatable writing style and how deeply personal it is. Keibler doesn’t write with the polished detachment of a travel writer; she throws you headfirst into her experiences, whether it’s the bleak shock of her first night in a cracked-wall dorm room in Jinan, her initial disgust at local dumplings filled with chicken gizzards, or the visceral anxiety of facing down Chinese immigration police after overstaying a visa. She’s not trying to look impressive. She’s trying to tell the truth.
The book begins with a vivid scene in a mountain tent at 19,000 feet, a poetic yet uneasy snapshot that captures the isolation and danger of her later years in China. But then we quickly flash back to her teenage years: dreadlocks, spiritual searching, and a growing fascination with China sparked by high school language classes. This early background sets the stage for her decision to study abroad, a decision that becomes a series of unpredictable turns as her short-term semester slowly turns into a long-term, high-stakes entanglement.
Keibler brings the reader inside her younger self’s worldview with striking clarity. She’s impulsive, idealistic, occasionally reckless—and that makes the story feel real. She lands a teaching job on a student visa, knowing it’s technically illegal, and ends up having to negotiate with Chinese police when her visa runs out. The scenes in the Public Service Bureau are some of the most gripping in the book. When she’s finally forced to confess, there’s no deus ex machina to save her—just a fine, a ticket home, and the sense of being humbled by a system she never really understood.
There’s also a strong current of mental health awareness running through the memoir. Keibler opens up about her struggles with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, depression, and impulsivity—challenges that shape her decisions in the book in both obvious and subtle ways. Her honesty in recounting these episodes adds a layer of depth that makes her voice feel lived-in and vulnerable rather than self-pitying.
One of the most memorable aspects of the book is her deep immersion into Chinese culture—not the tourist-friendly kind, but the messy daily-life version. She makes close friends, learns the language, dates local men, and even moves in with a Chinese family. The cultural details are subtly informative, from how cigarettes are shared at dinner tables to how friendships function under social norms vastly different from her own. The writing itself is conversational, sometimes meandering, but always authentic. Keibler doesn’t stylise her language or try to make herself sound like a hero. She writes like someone unpacking a chaotic, formative time in her life, trying to make sense of it without smoothing the edges.
“A Ghost in the Middle Kingdom” is more than just a book about China—it’s a powerful exploration of what it means to lose and rediscover yourself in an unfamiliar country. While the journey it recounts is at times challenging, the story is told with striking honesty and skilful writing. Readers who have lived abroad, questioned their identity, or faced the trials of growing up as an outsider will find much to connect with—and much to admire—in Keibler’s story.
You can get your copy of “A Ghost in the Middle Kingdom” by Anna Keibler here!
