Within the past few decades, China has undergone profound social changes stemming both from globalization and from its own domestic economic and political development. Cultural attitudes that have been deeply embedded in China for centuries have changed seemingly overnight with the expansion of the Chinese middle class.

Rob Schmitz has witnessed China’s urban cultural transition firsthand while living in Shanghai as a Marketplace correspondent. Having immersed himself in his local neighborhood, he forged strong bonds with several of its inhabitants, and discovered that their complex lives collectively provide a snapshot of the human impact of China’s modernization. In his new book, Street of Eternal Happiness, Mr. Schmitz profiles China’s distinct generations through the multifaceted characters who illuminate an enlightening, humorous, and at times heartrending journey along the winding road to the Chinese Dream. Join us as Mr. Schmitz launches his book with the National Committee on May 17, in New York City.

Copies of Street of Eternal Happiness will be available for purchase.