On the issue of helping his pronunciation, use a memo recorder with him so you can play back his voice vs. yours for the same word. It was helpful for when I did the same in grad school.
unPINGIE
Take some of the most subtlely subversive, mainstream, popular authors, bring their message into modern, day to day American context and existence, sort of Heinlein in reverse. We’re steeped in 1984 but I’d imagine your new Chinese acquaintance isn’t. De-stultify Ayn Rand, bring Heinlein to Earth, make Hayek very accessible. Real life, nonfiction accounts that are illustrative of such could have a profound impact. Thus introduced and gotten past any screening or censorship remaining, mount a follow up viral campaign to direct readers to the underlying, original inspiration, maybe.
Seek comfort and strength in knowing that a slime covered hairball that you yacked up will be worth infinitely more than anything ever printed on the front page of the vaunted New York Times.
Is this a book to teach English?
My wife wrote a schoolbook last fall/winter that is meant to help German students learn English. The publisher and school officials liked it so much, they hired her to write a second one for the next higher age of students.
Once again my wife hired me to help her do the research. I am going to get an iPad3 from this deal. :)
The formula we use is: Little known fun facts in English.
For example take Robin Hood, remind the readers what little they know of Robin Hood, then give them all the interesting historical facts and trivia they likely didn’t know. You can do this with carpooling and whatever else you fancy, add drawings and you have a book. You can research across the whole internet for ideas and information. I hope this is some help to you, Good Luck!
It sounds like you and your chinese friend are zeroing in on “America for Dummies” or something like that.
By all means, do not underestimate the importance of a captivating opening line.
Suggestion: The night was hot humid wet moist foggy sultry....
“It twas a dark and yet stormy night...”
Are you writing about America pre-Obama or post- Obama? I, myself, can’t figure out this post-Obama shit.
