I Deliver Parcels in Beijing: Chinese Literary Sensation Reaches U.S.
Hu Anyan, a former courier, wrote a best-selling memoir about the demanding job of delivering packages. The book offers insights into life, technology, and the future of work.
Hu Anyan’s Diverse Work Experience
Hu, 46, has held 19 jobs in six Chinese cities, including selling bicycles, managing a clothing store, working in a bakery, producing 3D architectural renderings, doing night shifts in a logistics warehouse, and eventually delivering parcels. His book, I Deliver Parcels in Beijing, chronicles these experiences with casual language, vivid details, and humor.
Book’s Popularity and Themes
Published in 2023, Hu's book became a bestseller in China. It resonated with readers through stories about couriers' lives in the country’s highly efficient e-commerce sector, which often treats individual workers as disposable. Many readers connected with the themes of economic insecurity, limited social mobility, unemployment, and unsatisfying jobs.
Interview and English Translation
Before the English-language edition translated by Jack Hargreaves was released, Hu spoke to Rest of World about his writing journey, thoughts on automation replacing couriers, and his hopes for what American readers will take away from the book. The interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Question: How did you start writing and how did the book come about?
"Around 2009, I was running a women’s clothing store in Nanjing, a painful job."
Hu’s work history and honest depiction of courier life provide a unique perspective on the human side of modern logistics.
Author’s summary: Hu Anyan’s memoir reveals the harsh realities and personal stories behind China’s booming courier industry, highlighting economic challenges and the impact of automation on workers.
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