‘Moby-Dick’ is the Great American Novel

In the summer of 1996, I left China for America to pursue graduate study. I have now lived in America for 30 years, longer than I lived in China. Yet, the more I know America, the more I am convinced that the country manifests itself as a perfect candidate for one of Chairman Mao’s beliefs. The quote — at least it was credited to him when we grew up — roughly translated into English and cleared of some troublesome double negatives means: “Human efforts will always trump nature. What can be imagined can be achieved, so long as you dare to imagine.”