Books
by Michael Wood
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The Story of China: A Portrait of a Civilisation and its People |
The fly-leaf states that China is the oldest, living civilisation on Earth but it's history is still surprisingly little known. How true. Michael Wood's enthralling book is a must for anyone wanting to know more and for me, born in Tientsin and interred in Shanghai by the Japanese, it has of course an immediate and special appeal. It's worth too catching up on the BBC's series which he made in 2016.
(James Baker - bwl 99 Winter 2021) |
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The Story of China: A portrait of a civilisation and its people |
For anyone hoping for an overview of 4,000 years of Chinese history in just 500 pages, read this book. Far from being a dry catalogue of floods, famines, and battles, the author has made the effort to bring the numerous dynasties, as well as their arts, to life. Political events such as the Opium Wars, the Boxer Rebellion, Mao's Great Reform, and China's move toward the international stage are also examined.
(Sharron Calkins - bwl 104 Spring 2022) |
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