GINSENG ROOTS #11 (OF 12)

Craig Thompson and his brother Phil reconcile, recover from illness, hire an interpreter, and reconnect for the final leg of their journey. The Jilin Province of China is the birthplace of the ginseng story. This hard-to-reach region on the border of North Korea features one of the largest forest preserves in all of China. The brothers encounter a wild ginseng root that wins a $120,000 prize, nude environmentalists protesting ginseng cultivation, and why it's easier to attend university in China than in America. Bootleg versions of Craig's books and Wisconsin ginseng beg the question: What does it mean to be authentic in an age of globalization?