Fixer Chao

the long version

"When William Narciso Paulinha, a Filipino street hustler, meets Shem C, a disreputable, social-climbing writer embittered by his lack of success, the Feng Shui scam of the century is born. Under Shem C's guidance, Paulinha assumes the persona of Master Chao, a revered Feng Shui practitioner from Hong Kong. Distorting the Eastern concept of Feng Shui - the mystical Chinese art of creating a harmonious environment that promises its followers peace and prosperity - to accommodate Western demands, they peddle their peculiar brand of this holistic philosophy among New York City's elite.". "As this latter-day confidence man cuts a swath through upper-crust society, his biting observations form a comic picaresque of class resentment and revenge. But the fraud spirals out of control, and events finally force Paulinha to confront the tragic consequences of his actions, condemning him to live as the man he has become."--BOOK JACKET.