China Books

Can a Scotsman living in France write about an American pathologist and a Chinese detective and make it real?

Without a doubt!

May has written six novels about his unusual pair of protagonists, but only three have been printed in the U.S. so far. The first two do a wonderful job of introducing the "real" China to his readers by giving insight and joy to the daily lives of people in Beijing. I found them to be a wonderful education as well as a delightful read.

In this novel, the action moves to Shanghai, and his insights into the differences between that city and Beijing are fascinating. He is the only westerner to be given honorary membership to the Chinese mystery writers Association, and when you read his novels, you'll understand why.

Oh yes, the mystery part is remarkably good as well. Well plotted, good characterization, and all three books catch you off gaurd at the end, as good mysteries should!

Peter May's China Thriller series of books continues with The Killing Room. All is not well with Margaret and Li's relationship as the location is mostly Shanghai in his third of the series.

Having visted Shanghai nine times in the past two years, I find the Chinese background and culture in this series and this mystery in particular are outstanding. Written in 2000 and just released in the USA, this highly charged mystery actually foretells some of Shanghai's modern 21st Century political history of local corruption. While other novelists may touch on the corruption in a lighter, more oblique way, May gets right to the point in demonstrating how the hierarchy works. He touches on the continuing power struggle between Beijing and Shanghai.

The other reviews cover the story line well. The setting of Shanghai is remarkably accurate, and the description of life and families is still quite relevant eight years after the book was authored. (Many things can change in Shanghai in eight years.) As I have Shanghai friends to explain many customs in modern China, I find that May captures them in very subtle ways. May distills the Chinese manners and details them into background throughout the novel.

If you are travelling to Shanghai and want to get an inside look into the city's life, this is a must read. Only you will find that Shanghai is a much safer place than what happens in the vicinity of Margaret and Li.

I just started reading this book and I'm already hooked. I will definitely be reading any others that Mr. May has written or writes in the future. Definiately a must read!

First Sentence: The rain, like tears, streaks his view of the world from the back seat of his limousine.

Beijing detective Li Yan is working on a case where a woman's body has been found. It appears the victim had undergone an autopsy while alive, organs removed and her body cut into pieces.

Now Yan is sent to Shanghai to oversee the investigation instigated by a mass grave being found there with the similar remains of 18 women. Yan, oblivious by the attentions of his female counterpart in Shanghai, sends for American pathologist Margaret Campbell, with whom he has worked before and with whom he is lovers. While the nightmare of the case escalates, so do the problems with their relationship.

There was definitely more to like about this book than not. I really enjoy learning about China of today and seeing it through the eyes of both a resident, albeit of Beijing who, himself, doesn't feel comfortable in Shanghai, and an American make the story particularly interesting. Yan is a very good policeman who is classically clueless as a male at times, while Margaret is an excellent pathologist who is almost overwhelming insecure as a woman. Those aspects make the characters very believable and human.

I also learned about pathology and science, but in a way that was clinical; not horrific or ever boring. There is suspense that does build nicely. Although I suspected one villain, I didn't see the other one coming.

The first book of the series, "The Firemaker," is still my favorite, but I shall definitely continue on with Margaret and Li.

When the bodies of eighteen women are discovered in a mass grave at a construction site in Shanghai, Deputy Section Chief Li Yan is sent to establish if the corpses relate to an unsolved similar murder in Beijing. He requests that American pathologist Margaret Campbell be allowed to assist with the forensics. Their on again-off again relationship remains rocky, especially because of local Deputy Chief Nien Mei-Ling, who Margaret finds a formidable competitor for Li Yan's heart. While examining the bodies, Margaret discovers that all of them had organs removed while they were still alive.

I particularly like two aspects of May's books. One is the culture clashes between Li Yan and Margaret Campbell. Despite their strong feelings for each other, they are just very different people. I learn a lot about Chinese culture through Margaret's eyes and would probably make the same missteps she does.

The other is May's ability to explore social and cultural problems in Chinese society. He tries hard to portray both sides of a controversial subject without taking sides. In this book, and a bit of the previous book, The Fourth Sacrifice, that subject is the single-child policy enacted to reduce the population in China. Li Yan's sister previously dropped off her daughter with him when she found she was pregnant with a son. Li Yan remains the child's guardian in this book.

I found more humor in this book than the previous two in this series. The competitions between Margaret and Mei-Ling for the attentions of Li Yan were laugh-out-loud funny. I also find it interesting that these books are written by a Scottish man living in France, writing about an American woman living in China. And he does it very well.

Armchair Interviews says: Super read as a mystery with a lot of cultural learning thrown in.

It is great to have a look into Mao's China from the eyes of a child. I agree with many of the good things said, and just want to say this is a great book. Lyric, and a child's view, and great insight.

It's one thing to read the history of China's Cultural Revolution, quite another to see it through the eyes of a little girl who lived through it. In "Little Green," Chun Yu, born the year the Cultural Revolution began (1966), chronicles the first ten years of her life, from the revolution's inception to its ending with Mao's death.

What's startling about "Little Green" - the title comes from Yu's childhood nickname - is not just the vivid clarity of her memories but the beauty of her words. Written in verse, the book has the crystalline luminosity of Peter Matthiessen's prose and David Whyte's poetry. On one page Yu will speak eloquently of the gift of a blue silk ribbon; on another she'll share her pain - without being overly sentimental - at having her family's garden torn out after the state decided that private gardens were capitalistic.

"After a whole spring and early summer
of planting and watering,
the tomatoes were just starting to ripen under the green leaves.
Some melon flowers were still blooming on the fence.
The biggest melons had grown to the size of my little fists.
The sunflowers along the roadside
were only a couple of feet tall,
with tender yellow flowers following the sun around.
Nainai [Grandma] sighed.
'It hurts the conscience to destroy these crops.
What crime did the plants commit?' "

In this slender volume, Yu shows how her family is affected by the Cultural Revolution. Her mother, a teacher, becomes a target of the anti-intellectual movement; her father is sent for several years to a reeducation camp. In "We Saw Baba Only Twice a Year," Yu writes:

"Baba lived in May Seventh Cadre School,
where he was being reeducated.
The cadre school could only be reached by boat,
slowly moved by a long bamboo stick.
It took a whole day each way.
We saw Baba only twice a year,
in the summertime
and Chinese New Year.
After not seeing him for a long time,
it felt so strange to call him 'Baba' again."

The cover quote, from Maxine Hong Kingston, calls "Little Green" a "miracle" which initially sounded a bit over the top. But as I read the book and learned Yu's story, I didn't find this to be an exaggeration. For someone who learned English as an adult and spent much of her time in this country studying science, "Little Green," written with elegant simplicity in English, truly is miraculous.

I found "Little Green" so enjoyable that I began rationing it, reading just a few pages a night, to make it last. Thankfully, this is the first book of a trilogy, and Yu says she's already finished the second volume. I'll eagerly await its publication. Until then, I'll return often to Little Green's clear, bright lines.

Little Green is a wondrous work of art, like an ancient Chinese painting brought forward into modern time. Where a Western painter might fill up the entire canvas with paint, traditional Chinese painters used sparse brush strokes to vividly illuminate the very essence of their subject. So does Chun Yu use her poetry to bring to life the world of a ten year old child in the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Like the unfolding of a Chinese scroll, to read her verse is to journey across the landscape of that time. We see her family, other children, revolutionaries and "counter-revolutionaries," political struggle meetings, war trainings, cold streams, warm meals, forbidden ancient poetry, and the sound of snowflakes falling past her ear.

Little Green is suitable for all ages, both children and adults. From her readings in the San Francisco bay area, I also learned that this book is the first in a coming trilogy. I give it five stars.

This book powerfully tells what life was truly like under Mao and his cohort. Chun Yu brings a new voice with an amazing ability to enable the reader to imagine life inside China during the Cultural Revolution.

This is a fresh and new voice to the history of that era.

PS I am not a kid although submitting a review as a child is easier as there is no password stuff to climb through.

Chun Yu's "Little Green" is a great corrective to much of the highly effective propaganda that emanated from China during Mao Tse-Dong's Cultural Revolution. Chun Yu has achieved this with a unique voice and with a unique literary form that is unusually poetic and that is not in itself a propaganda piece.

I believe that "Little Green" should be classified as suitable for all ages. While children will undoubtedly enjoy and learn from "Little Green," I think it ought more properly to be included with literature also intended for adults.

This book should be compulserary reading for caretakers. It can show how to deal with the stress and "burnout" of peole in all fields. I learned how better deal with my terminal illnes. Whereas, I do not agree with the later stages of the "bardo" ( the dying process of 40+ days) from the Tibetan / Buddhist point of view, all else was quite perffect. For one to impliment the suggestions in this book are , in my experience, guarenteed to ellivate an individuals ability to be compasionate toward life itself. Thank you, Tom J. Sawyer, Rochester, N.Y.

Medicine & Compassion is an important book. It should be required reading for physicians, medical students, nurses, caregivers, and hospice staff. Every family should have it on their bookshelf. Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and even non-religious people will benefit from this book because the ideas are about the human condition which transcends all differences of faith. In a word, this book is a treasure.

We all grow old, get sick, and die. Impermanence, uncertainty, and sorrow permeate our very existence. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and David R. Shlim, M.D., answer the important questions of why we get sick and to how to respond with compassion and mercy, when illness or impending death are at hand. One could say that it is a manual to understanding our own nature and mortality.

The narrative tone of the book is intelligent and merciful - never sugary or overdone. I could really feel the subtle, yet vibrant life energy of the book as it conjured forgotten images and feelings. It caused me to reflect on the end of life care that I administered for my parents and brother. I was able to see what was good and what was lacking in my care for them, without feeling a sense of regret. In fact, I gained a sense of optimism for the future.

As a writer on Buddhist healing, I found this to be a perfectly cut gem. Its words and inferences reflected the light of wisdom. I found it an invaluable tool for encouraging the sick and suffering. I was especially impressed with the author's end of life guidance in the chapter "Easing the Process of Dying." As a Buddhist for more than 30 years, I've read many works on death, dying, and the bardos. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Dr. Shlim explain this subject in a way that can satisfy the average person or the spiritually advanced. Most of all, the reader will be inspired to improve their own life and mind.

I highly recommend this book. Just as an outdoorsman needs a compass, so too can this book guide one in challenging times.

Charles Atkins
Author of "Modern Buddhist Healing"

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche is a highly-respected Tibetan lama who heads a large monastery in Nepal and has active Dharma centers in a number of Western countries
(see gomdeusa.org). He is a pure-hearted and open-minded teacher who indeed embodies the Buddhist ideal of compassion and wisdom combined. The ongoing "meetings of the minds" (the Mind and Life seminars with H.H the Dalai Lama being probably the best-known example), focussing on Mind and Meditation, are attracting wide interest; the theme of Mind, Meditation and Medecine may resonate even more, given the number of books appearing in that general area, of which this one is surely among the best.

This book is quite brief, and offers the reader a compact and concise overview of Tibetan Buddhism's approach to medicine, caregiving, and death. It is not necessary to be a Buddhist to gain insight from this book, and I wish I had had access to it years ago when I was caring for an ill relative. Should be purchased by libraries.

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and David Shlim have articulated beautifully an invaluable lesson in learning how to encompass compassion into our encounters with patients. As nurses and physicians we work with great dedication and energy to help our patients move toward a healthier state of being. The process sometimes seems very easy and gratifying however, sometimes we are stuck and not sure why. This book offers practical advice to the reader of how to more effectively approach each patient with kindness, wisdom and care. Since reading the book, I have noticed subtle changes in my own approach to patients and have felt a new energy and insight.

I read this book and watched the Sagwa TV series and I want to see more stories by Amy Tan aimed at children.The two stories are well written and in my opinion would recommend it to all parents even though I am not one.The best thing I like the two children's story Amy Tan wrote is that they keep you glued to them.Thanks Amy for the two good stories and I want to read more of them.

Beautiful illustrations will entrance children of all ages as Amy Tan shows she can entertain both children and adults.

Amy has shown she can captivate children as well as adults. Her illustrations are beautiful and wonderful and my 5 yr old daughter loved them as well. Wonderful story.

In The Moon Lady, Amy Tan author of The Joy Luck Club and The Bonesetter's Daughter, presents a small tale for young children which adults will also enjoy. Focusing on a story set in China, Tan brings her wealth of knowledge about China and its folktales as well as her love for this country and its traditions. In addition, the illustrations by Gretchen Schields add a wonderful dimension to the story since readers can also visualize the tale by viewing these pictures.

On a rainy day as grandchildren whine that they can't play outside their grandmother tells them a tale based on her own experiences as a child. Using this method Tan provides an allegorical tale concerning children and their wishes. Telling the children of her wishes as a young girl, Ying Ying tells the children a story about her own wishes at the times of the Moon Festival. And as all folk tales provide, Tan is adept at providing her readers with an adventurous tale compete with the mysterious Moon Lady and a moral to the story.

This is a good book for young children who cannot only learn about the Chinese culture but the saying "Be careful what you wish for." I also recommend this book at any age since it is also important to remember this as we move on in life.

Researchers constantly find that reading to children is valuable in a variety of ways, not least of which are instilling a love of reading and improved reading skills. With better parent-child bonding from reading, your child will also be more emotionally secure and able to relate better to others. Intellectual performance will expand as well. Spending time together watching television fails as a substitute.

To help other parents apply this advice, as a parent of four I consulted an expert, our youngest child, and asked her to share with me her favorite books that were read to her as a young child. The Moon Lady was one of her picks.

Adapted from Amy Tan's best selling book, The Joy Luck Club, The Moon Lady is a perfect book for encouraging children to read with and talk to their grandmother. The book also very subtly encourages children to take more responsibility for their own lives. The story provides a model for parents and grandparents for how to create their own stories to help children learn important lessons.

The story begins as three girls, Maggie, Lily and June, are bored because they have to stay in on a rainy day and can think of nothing that they want to do. Their grandmother, Nai-nai, is with them. Nai-nai tells them a story about when she was a young girl in China, and she ran and shouted and could not stand still also.

The story is about the day she told the Moon Lady her secret wish. Then unfolds a wonderful story of a young girl's adventure on a special trip to see the Moon Lady. Along the way, she sees many things she has not seen before, falls overboard, is rescued by a fishing family, and finds her family again after meeting the Moon Lady. In the process, she has one of those epiphanies that make all of our lives better -- that she is in charge of creating her own future.

The story is filled with references to family bonding and what is and is not proper behavior. The story also shows what family life was like for a somewhat well-to-do Chinese family in China at the beginning of the 20th century. These references are made all the more realistic by a wonderful series of drawings by Gretchen Schields with bright colors, beautiful detail, and authentic depictions of the China of years ago. It's almost like living a beautiful dream.

Then Nai-nai takes her granddaughters out to dance in the moon after the story is over.

Of all the children's books I have read, I place this one in the top ten for the 4-8 age category.

A central problem for many children today is that too much television, too many structured activities, and too little free time leave them feeling lost when nothing is on the agenda. Our misconception is that they need regimented lives like those that soldiers lead to fulfill their potential. This book will encourage you to readdress that misconception, and focus on how to make your children more competent in thinking about others, being more independent, and designing their own beneficial activities. That is all very important to actually unleashing their full potential. When you are done, think about how perhaps your own life needs a little improvement along these same lines.

Enjoy!

Donald Mitchell (donmitch@2000percentsolution.com)

The illustrations as well as the sentiment are beautiful in this book! We find new details in the pictures each time we read it. The way this story is presented does a great job of making the idea of having two "real" mothers more concrete for our 6-year old daughter. I could almost see the lightbulbs popping up above her head! We have dozens of adoption related titles; this one makes my top 5 and is easily in my daughter's top 10.

This book is absolutely wonderful! I would recommend this to anyone who is adopting internationally.

Beautiful illustrations and a lovely poem about the adoptive child's two mothers (birthmother & adoptive mother).

We brought our two adopted daughters back to Jiande orphanage as preteens in 2006 and addressed the birthmom question not for the first time ... we had relied on the "Choco" book and other fables available in the mid-90s when we first had these discussions of the "tummy Mom" and the "real Mom." Too bad this book had not been available then. However, it is such a graphically beautiful book and has such a simple message that I thought I would add it to our China book shelf. The girls tend to act disinterested in those books now--unlike when they had been younger--but a book like this is easy to flip through in a few minutes and can easily re-ignite that on-going conversation our family has been having about how it feels to be adopted.

Motherbridge of Love is a masterfully illustrated and touchingly eloquent tribute to both birth and adoptive mothers. This beautifully illustrated version of a fairly well-known poem truly illustrates how the love of two women for one child come together to make the child who she is...the result of both of their love...expressed in very different ways.

A great place for both new and old collectors a like to find information! The detailed photo's are as much of a pleasure to look at as the text is to read. I only wish the Young family would send their collection on tour!

AS A COLLECTOR AND SON OF A COLLECTOR I CAN SAY WITHOUT THIS BOOK YOU WILL BE LOST. THE SECTION ON THE MARKS COULD STAND ALONE. FOR US COLLECTORS THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN SEEING WHAT ITEM COME "OUT OF THE CLOSET" AND INTO THE MARKET!COMPLAINT, THE SECTION ON SILVER CUPS IS TO SMALL.

This is the most comprehensive book ever written about mustache cups, their history, age, and value. The photography is excellent. Not since 1972, when Dorothy Hammond published her book, has a book shown the pictures, dates, descriptions,condition, the backstamp and the value. Their book includes wonderful sets and groupings; silver cups/saucers and their marks; reproductions and fakes; and a wonderful chapter on available accessories.

Paula & Glenn should win an award for this one!

If you collect mustache cups--you need this valuable collector's guide. Written in an enjoyable format, the book gives hundreds of colorful pictures of mustache cups and saucers from around the world. There are pages of valuable potters marks to check your own with. There is even a section on quadruple plate mustache cups and marks. The history of the cups is great. And, best of all, there is a price/value guide for each cup. Now I know what my collection is worth! I'm so glad that this book has finally been written. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Not since Dorothy Hammond's 1972 book on Mustache Cups has anyone written on this subject. Pauline and Glenn are to be congratulated for producing this fine publication which, in my opinion, is long overdue.

The book is split into chapters dealing with the different types of cups and saucers and it is well illustrated with detailed photographs. No matter how many pictures the book has, though, there never seems to be enough of them and they leave you wanting more. One chapter that I particularly found useful deals with manufacturer's marks. This is an excellent reference section that should help date most marked pieces in any collection.

The authors have included valuations on most pieces which they explained should act as only a guide to real market prices. The problem with listing valuations, which Dorothy Hammond also acknowledged, is that prices may soon become out of date or not be truly reflective of the actual market prices when one considers the multitude of styles, types and condition of pieces that exist.

I know that the authors are considering a second edition: I hope they succeed.

This is the tale that has been faithfully transmitted by parents to children throughout the generations in Chinese families.

I remember I was a wee little kid of 6 when my mother told me about the Twelve Lunar Animals. I wasted no time in memorizing all the 12 animals in their order. I supposed it also helped to speed up my arithmetic too, since I would then automatically mentally figure out the Lunar Animal of all my relatives by their birth years. (How gleeful I was to discover that the fierce Aunt was naturally, a Dragon and his gentle, sheepish husband a...Sheep.) My cousin doesn't like to eat beef. He's an Ox, no wonder. My little brother was a terror. He's a Tiger.

My grandmother would have fantastic elaborations on each Animal, their strengths and characteristics and how they influence people's actions. It was and still is the coolest thing I've ever heard.

When the Power Rangers and their respective `Hidden Animal' became popular years later, I pooh-poohed it. Been there, done that.

My Mom is a Dragon And My Dad is a Boar is a collection of beautiful illustrations of the twelve Lunar Animals in paper cut form; plus a brief and easily understood monograph of each Animal. As per every Chinese calendar, the years for which each Animal represents are given as well.

The book begins with the story of the convention that the Lord Buddha held one day to determine the 12 Lunar Animals. The first twelve to arrive in his court would be selected. And the Animals set off. Why is the first Animal the Rat? And why isn't the Cat amongst the twelve? Could there be a reason why cats chase rats now? This book is an elegant and vehicle to transport this age-preserved legend of the Chinese into the generation the 21st century.

I appreciate that the animals are depicted in beautiful calligraphic fashion by the talented calligrapher and artist Kong Lee, along with their Chinese characters. Written by Asia enthusiast Tricia Morrissey, one characteristic that stands out in this book is that the total absence of any attempt to `westernize' the Animals. The pictures and descriptions are just as how my grandmother would tell them, celestial and majestic instead of barn-like.

I trust that this book will open up a whole world of imagination and thrill for your 5 year olds, and instill in them a deep sense and awe of heritage.

This is the only children's book that I proudly display on my bookshelf. It's a very special book to me.

This is a great book which tells about the 12 animals of Chinese lunar calendar. The book is beautifully printed and illustrated, you and your kids will enjoy it!

Wonderful book for introducing one aspect of the Chinese culture to all children. A simple way to explain a cultural prospective to a young child that has historical merit and not weighted with any political biasness. The graphics are sharp and crisp with an Asian musique.

This book was a wonderful introduction to Chinese culture for my children and myself. The writing is superb! It is great to find a book that my children love as much as I do. The artwork is new and different for us and lead to fun and creative projects of our own.

This book is a great find for anyone and a great resource for teachers or homeschoolers.

Mr. Lloyd Lofthouse did an amazing job with My Splendid Concubine. I thought Sir Robert Hart's story was a beautiful one of romance for both his concubines as well as the country of China. I have to admit I have never heard of Sir Robert Hart but after reading his story I have a great admiration for what he did in addition to his determination to learn the culture there and become a Chinamen. You can definitely tell all the labor of love Mr. Lloyd Lofthouse put into writing My Splendid Concubine. Mr. Lofthouse wanted to tell the earlier years of Sir Robert Hart and when he was an interpreter for the British Consulate in Ningpo with his concubine Ayaou. Thank you, Mr. Lofthouse for making sure Sir Robert Hart's story got told.

My Splendid Concubine, a Novel by Lloyd Lofthouse, is the portrayal of Sir Robert Hart's early years in China during the mid 19th Century. Not much is actually known of those years as Hart reportedly burned his diaries which would chronicle those years. He returned to Ireland late in his life in 1908 and died in 1911 at the age of 76. A highly revered man in England as well as China.

Lofthouse weaves a tale of intrigue, lust, love, loyalty, danger and disaster in Hart's early years while working as the Interpreter at the British Consulate in Ningpo. The book will captivate you, revealing China's cultures, customs and ancient organized civilization that foreign governments brought corruption into play proving once again the almighty dollar, pound sterling or yuan is King.

I would highly recommend this Novel to all, but beware, the rating is not PG, meaning some passages even made this sixty year old blush, albeit an enjoyable embarrassment. Steamy, exciting, intriguing danger waits at every turn of the page, trust me in this.

Want a book to keep you reading and leave you wanting more - this is it! It is a fascinating experience watching Robert Hart learn a new language and culture. You are inside his head and heart to hear, see and feel the struggle between his strict Irish Christian upbringing and this new life that he enjoys so much.

It was strange and wonderful time. It was a time of new and a time of old. For Robert hart it was an escape from his life and familial disgrace into a new beginning of which he could have never conceived. Born and raised in Ireland and practicing a lifestyle of abandon and irresponsibility, Robert Hart accepted a position in China with the British Customs Service in order to escape the shame he brought upon his family. Once in China he vowed that he would live a chaste and pure life. This he struggled to do until he met Ayaou.
He had seen many foreigners in China take local women as concubines and looked down upon them as whoremongers not worthy of his respect. The passion evoked in him by Ayaou made him question his vow and he determined to learn as much as he could about this expansive land of China which has a culture many, many centuries older than that of Europe. He did so to learn to accept Ayaou's love and return it honestly and completely. In his quest he met mercenaries and smugglers and teachers and poets. Follow along with him as he experiences and grows into a new life in this little known chapter of a man who was in every respect one of the fathers of Chinese modernization.
Lloyd Lofthouse has crafted a novel that tells an intriguing and amazing tale of a man's life that is objective and yet compelling. It is evident in the detail and touching honesty from both Hart's perspective and that of the Chinese who touch his life that Mr. Lofthouse has a great of understanding the unique nature of human cultures and the clashes that arise when East meets West. In addition the historical depictions and vivid descriptions of the settings make this a book of most impressive stature. The only flaw, and it is minor, is that the reader is left with some questions as to the future. One hopes that this is a hint at a sequel as there is undoubtedly much more to be told of Robert Hart and his journeys of growth and accomplishment.
Reviewer: John Helman, Allbooks Reviews.

It is in the natural order of literature that famed authoress Anchee Min's (Red Azalea; Becoming Madame Mao) significant other, Lloyd Lofthouse, is the latest author to join the ranks of China historical fiction writers with his highly-anticipated debut novel, My Splendid Concubine, which traces the true-life exploits of Sir Robert Hart.

Lofthouse's Hart is not the idol that encyclopedias portray him as; he is a flawed man. Enticed into purchasing his first concubine, boat-girl Ayaou, Hart is at once disgusted and stirred by the thought of "taking bids on her virginity," but admits to himself that "it bothered him more that he found the idea tempting."

Regardless of the novel's title, Ayaou is not Sir Robert Hart's "concubine." For all intents and purposes, she is stolen property liberated by Hart from a rival. Hart's true splendid concubine is in fact Ayaou's little sister. Only fourteen years old, the blossoming Shao-mei is admittedly even more desirable than Ayaou. "I'm not a finished woman, but I am a woman." She slid her hands down the length of her nude torso to her vulva..."

My Splendid Concubine is rife with the sexual dalliances of a white man adrift in China ("What a strange night, a strange place and strange girls"). Lofthouse also plaits his page-turning story with amusing cultural anecdotes that surely must have come from the author's personal observations of China ("Live here long enough, see crazy things").

Lloyd Lofthouse is to be commended for writing a novel that so cleverly balances an engaging tale of culture and romance with a wealth of period detail that will educate readers about dynastic China as thoroughly as any university textbook.

Though a "moral hero" in China, My Splendid Concubine depicts another half of Sir Robert Hart: the dark half. Conscious that historical fiction readers demand potboilers over academic fare, Lofthouse plays on Hart's notoriety, and obviously has fun while doing it.

But behind the scandalous, revisionist adventures My Splendid Concubine is a comprehensible and remarkably accurate narrative history of real-life man whom the author quite obviously admires.

[Read Tom Carter's entire five-page critical review of My Splendid Concubine by Lloyd Lofthouse on Amazon's "amapedia"
http://amapedia.amazon.com/view/My+Splendid+Concubine/id=822593 ]

"Next of Kin" is a remarkable first-person memoir that reads like a novel. Tom Reilly's story will take your breath away, whether or not you accept all the details. This is not another war story that revisits battles and the soldiers who fought them. Instead, this is a coming-of-age story that is catalyzed (but not defined) by the Vietnam War. Thanks to clean, straighforward writing, Reilly's story is a breeze to read. Critical readers may wish to see additional corroboration or evidence of this harrowing journey. The more casual reader will take it at face value and may appreciate the brotherly bond that made this story possible. May we all be so fortunate to experience such devotion.

Just a great story about the caring relationship between two brothers, about love and commitment, set in the era of Vietnam.

An adventure that covers half the world by an 18 year old from the midwest who lost his brother. He had to know what happen and it was clear, it was not war reltated.

This was a great read, a story that was hard to put down at night and when the book was finished, I felt like I lost a
friend.

The book is outstanding. I had my daughter pick me up a signed copy because the author lived in my town and I have always been interested in Vietnam as it was from my era.
I had no idea that I would be so enthralled from the very first page. I feel like I know the whole family and recognized all the places that the author speaks of. The pain and courage of both of the brothers reached out from the pages into my heart.
This book was so great I hated to have it end.

What a great story. What a dedication to a brother. we all could learn from this man. This is what family is all about. I highly recomend this read to everyone.

I am a woman in my early 40's and don't usually read books on war or enjoy hearing about war, but I couldn't put this book down. It was written so well that I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. It begins with young Tom Reilly, losing both of his parents and how his brother, Ron, was a constant in his life. Tom, at the age of 19, goes to Vietnam to find out the truth about his brother's death and his "adventure" over there. Tom has written a wonderful, loving dedication to his brother that will touch each and every person that reads this story. It doesn't matter if you are a man or woman, young or old, this is a book you'll want to read. You'll have such a good feeling when you finish.

This remarkable tale appeals to all ages. It's about the wisdom that comes from reflecting on history, the value of courage in facing one's fears, and the importance of love. Best of all, it features an artist who happens to be Chinese and demonstrates that "the brush is mightier than the sword," even in "slaying" a dragon.

This is a lovely story on multiple levels with a visual presentation that captures the attention of young children. I've been reading many picture books to my little one and it's always a pleasure to find a book that honors their innate intelligence and provides a positive message. I find it one of those rare gems that delights the young and more mature alike.

This is the most wonderful children's book I have ever read. I loved it and my seven year old daughter loves it also. It tells a wonderful story about Chinese culture,love and courage. The illustration is absolutely beautiful!I've recommended it to many friends with children.

The Paper Dragon has captured the heart of all the readers I have given copies to (I am on my eighth copy). The story of a humble artist sent to task against a fierce dragon, is portayed colorfully in word and pictures. The gate style print of the pictures lend themselves to become an intergral part of the storyline.

A touching lesson is given to us all, when we find that the dragon is thankful to be released from his reign of terror, and allowed to sleep again. I have heard my five year old tell the story to her friends.

This peaceful story is a lovely way to introduce another culture to young readers, and Robert Sabuda's artwork is beautiful. Mi Fei is an artist who is content to paint scrolls and live within his community until the villagers hear that a dragon has awakened to threaten the countryside and nominate him to face the foe. After a long journey, Mi Fei finds the dragon, who offers him a series of riddles/challenges to perform. Sabuda, better known for his pop-up masterpieces, brings the story to life with breathtaking images of vibrant color and flowing imagery.

Wonderful tale.