China Books

a beautifully detailed book with amazing reproductions of these important paintings. highly recommended to anyone one interested in tibetan buddhism, art, tantra, or history.

This book is a valuable asset to anyone desiring an illustrated view of tantic Buddhism. With gorgeous pictures of the walls of the Lukhang Palace, and plenty of supporting documentation, the reader can truly appreciate the spiritual value of this book.

In addition to being a meticulously executed illustrated art book, The Dalai Lama's Secret Temple: Tantric Wall Paintings from Tibet by Ian A. Baker, et al. guides the reader through some lesser known biographical details of Tibet's greatest Dalai Lamas and of the history of Tibetan Buddhist culture as a whole. The amazing drawings, many of which painted in an almost feverish surrealistic style, are accompanied by insights into the lore of the Dalai Lamas, with thoughtful excerpts from their writings. I am also much obliged as a book shopper to show my appreciation to the book's publisher, Thames & Hudson, for the excellent printing quality and overall layout and binding of this book, details which for me always work to enhance the message of a book and to demonstrate the seriousness and loving care with which the authors themselves have treated their creation.

A really beautiful book: pictures are magnificents, thanks to the anonymous ancient painter and to the modern photographer, with many pictures of the details of the paintings. But the book is worthy not only to see. The first chapter tells a short but interesting history of the temple and of the Dalai Lamas, and at the beginning of each of the three main sections (as there are three walls painted in the temple, corresponding to the three pillars of Dzogchen teaching: base, path and fruit) a short but careful explanation of the principles of Dzogchen, in connection with the painted teachings of the secret temple. I do loved this book, and reccomend it to anyone interested in Dzogchen and Tibetan culture and Buddhism.

The Dala Lama's Secret Temple is a wonderful and insightful look into one of the most spectacular temples in Lhasa. Having just visited the Lukhang, I had the pleasure to personally view the murals. Many of which are unique to Tibetan paintings. And still very preserved. Better than I could have photographed myself, this book presents each of the walls paintings in the highest quality plates. Descriptions of the historical significance of the temple mirror the detail works of the painting. A nice addition to a library of Tibetan Art and Buddhism.

A great book for those that love traveling and want to learn about some things to look out for when traveling. It is filled with humor and describes the reality of traveling to a remote area. It is a great read for those that have traveled and also for those looking to travel. The elephant polo part is filled with more humor and gives in inside look at a rare sport played by the wealthy.

Antonio Graceffo deserves nothing but kudos for the risks he took leaving his corporate job and New York to spend more time on an adventurous journey for additional perspective with his journalistic eye, the creative craftmanship of his writing, and his backpack. The verdict on his voyage based on the insights derived from his narratives and his publications should give one brief pause before the resounding yes to purchasing his books.

i've been reading Antonio Graceffo's storys and books and i enjoy them all, i really recommend buying this book its really worth it. His adventure is very intresting, many facts and funny conflicts. also check out his book "The Monk From Brooklyn" i say its a very good book... and to mention all the negative post with one star rating is obviously the same person. you can tell by comparing all his/her negative post.

It may be difficult for us to understand why a successful investment banker from New York, chooses to risk death and danger by crossing the world's second largest desert. However, when reading Antonio Graceffo's story, everything starts to become very simple and clear why he'd to do such a thing.

This is a story of one man's own challenge, to cross the Taklamakan Desert from North to South alone, although unachieved by men before. It allows us Westerners to gain insight to not only an experience we may never visit or encounter but also types of cultures and people we never imagined could still exist.

What's appealing about this story by Graceffo is his writing style as being ordinary and informal with snippets of dialogue to assist you in getting the `bigger picture'. For a less intellectual but entertaining read this is ideal. Antonio's genuine character, blatant or funny statements and honest thoughts all provide a fuller engagement with his journey.

Most people love a good story of knowing how a human overcomes something serious or survives danger. This is a story of survival from the extremely high temperatures, constant dehydration and consistent physical pain. This one man isolated, travelling nature's danger zone, riding miles on a strange impossible to ride three wheeler bike is remarkable.

I became so engrossed in this story, my curious self questioning can this guy really make it? Is it really possible for a human to survive such ordeal? Throughout the journey there are times when he feels as if he can't go on. By great will power and determination he becomes a hero and completes his mission.

The descriptions given are detailed enough to provide great visual imagery for the reader and therefore makes the reader feel as if they were encountering the journey with Antonio also. The various types of village people which he stumbles upon his journey provide an intriguing aspect to his story. You just never know what type of person he will meet next, some of these people pretty much save his life, and some of the conversation exchanged between them helps the reader gain insight to a completely unfamiliar culture we likely don't know enough about. It's very thought provoking meeting these characters in the book because it highlights the extreme different lives we lead. e.g. the Ughyur construction foreman Antonio meets randomly while travelling across the Taklamakan. The foreman earned in a month the equivalent to what a pair of sixty US dollar boots would cost. There are many people which appear in Antonio's travels which lead very simple lives living on what we would class as nothing, some are not even aware of what a camera is? It really makes you wonder how we are all a part of the same world.

I recently emailed Antonio and asked a series of questions referring to his book "The Desert of Death on Three Wheels".

He is currently living in Cambodia, writing articles about families and people living in poverty. He wrote the following to me in response to one of my questions:

"In the west we have no idea of true hopelessness and desperation. Most recently I did a story about sick people gathered in a temple where they believed the monk could cure them. They were desperate and poor and ignorant and uneducated and infecting each other. More than one thousand people living on top of each other in an area about three times the size of a football pitch.
What can I say to sites like these? They sadden me. There is so much humour in a lot of my stories. But that is often my way of dealing with the sadness I saw the previous day."

The Desert of Death on Three Wheels also has an added bonus story, it's about his trip to Thailand, where he plays for a team in a rather interesting sport called elephant polo. I won't go into great detail of what happens, or what kind of story to expect but I can guarantee you it is an extremely funny read. Filled to the brim, of course, with Antonio's witty and comic comments in reflection of his experience. Antonio does actually raise awareness for these elephants by fighting in a boxing match. He is a boxer as well as a writer! It is clear from my response from my online interview with him, that he really does care about the places and people he visits from around the world. He has a very unstable financial income writing about poverty, wars and the corrupt governments he encounters when travelling.

The Desert of Death on Three Wheels is an entertaining great story about a man who is compassionate about people and the places he visits. He converts his travel experience into a story overcoming what may seem the unobtainable. Everybody loves a good story don't we?

© Vanessa Hyde Nov 2005

An honest account of an adventure through a place most people would never have even heard of. The bonus story about Antonio's participation in an Elephant polo tournament is also an interesting look at a sport generally only enjoyed by the disgustingly rich. I really enjoyed these stories, and would recommend them to anyone interested in travel writing, because you won't have read anything else quite like them.

It had been years since I first read the Good Earth in high school and with a strong interest in the Asian culture having adopted three children from China I was prompted to buy a new copy and re-read it. It was a good book but then someone suggested Dragon Seed. While Good Earth was certainly a great book the Dragon Seed was even better! I would put it at the top of the list of books I have read and certainly a must read for those interested in Chinese culture. This one will be read by my children and I am looking forward to reading the rest of Pearl S. Buck's books. Simply and amazing and talented story teller.

Although Good Earth is a celebrated novel, as it should be, I believe Dragon Seed is a book as worthy and even more in many ways as it involves generation differences and war. Amazon offers many Pearl Buck books that can't be found anywhere else. These books have opened a whole new world for me. I love the old time Chinese culture and Dragon Seed is so full of the many aspects, phrases, and customs so unlike today - in our Western World. Each character is so carefully constructed with soul depth, despite the fact that most could not read or write and lived a simple life. The Gods seem to come to life and the tragedy the people suffer so real and frightening during the revolution. The simplistic lifestyle is as well depicted as that in Good Earth. This book is a must for all Old Chinese Culture lovers. So exciting to cuddle up and read good literature.

I always preferred reading magazines rather than novels because i thought novels were boring and reading them was a waste of time. After reading Dragon seed my perception about novels took a shift in the positive dierction. No other author can bring out the subtle aspects of life in times of difficulty as pearl buck has did. I read this novel as a thirteen year old but i still remeber every part of it(i am 22 now). Such is the impression this novel has created. one can read a lot of books on philosophy and humanity but still miss out on some key aspects. i promise u will have the feeling of having read a thousand books on the human nature in this one novel. The novel ends with a positive note and a glimmer of hope which will make every reader search for the silver lining even during the most turbulent times.

I have read many books in my time but the two books that stand out for me are Dragon Seed by Pearl S. Buck and This Perfect Day by Irn Levin. Although The Good Earth is a fine book by any standard, Dragon Seed brought the characters to life for me. I have re-read these two books so many times that they have become a little "raggy" with time. Each time I read them I find something new, some new slant on what the authors were saying. The movie that was made from the book Dragon Seed could have been done better and although I like Katherine Hepburn, the part she played should have been played by an oriental. But, the book will live on and will continue to make itself felt for many years to come. Someday, I hope to find someone who will put these two books on a tape for those who have vision difficulty. I have not found them available for the visually impaired thus far. I feel that this is keeping a large section of the population from enjoying these books and I do hope that this will be corrected in the near future.

I thought I would never read a novel as outstanding as The Good Earth. And then I read Dragon Seed! Thus far, this is the greatest book I have ever read! There are truly no adjectives to satisfactorily describe the depth and poignancy of this novel. My heart filled with sorrow as I turned the pages of this mesmerizing story of the Chinese peasants' condition during World II. I would go back to re-read a paragraph every now and then in order to let the words seep into my very soul. I could not comprehend this unspeakable man's inhumanity to man, but there it was, as only Pearl Buck could write about it. Not to read this book at least once is not to have lived. I will carry the drama and heartbreak of Dragon Seed with me for the rest of my life. Dragon Seed is not just a novel; it is an experience of the heart and soul! It should be a must for everyone who truly loves great literature, and it should be required reading for every public high school student in this country.

i love this book. Ole Nydahl shows through his unconvential style buddhism can be for people in all walks of life. Really an inspiration. Thank you Ole

This is one of Lama Ole Nydahl's most captivating books, one of his best. It's a superb book about Diamond Way Buddhism. The Lama Ole you get in person, full and every time he teaches, is richly present in this book about his honeymoon in Nepal, his conversion, and SO much after that! He's a great teacher, a realised teacher. Kingdom politics have been played for centuries, perhaps especially in exile. Whatever the real meaning behind the ongoing controversy of two Black Karmapa 17 claimants, Lama Ole Nydahl's teaching is refined by truth tested, a legacy of buddhist teaching that affords faith in the truth, and the understanding attained from it. Entering the Diamond Way is rich and clear, and a beacon of hope.

In the sixties Ole and his wife Hannah embarked on an epic overland journey culminating in their meeting H.H. the 16th Karmapa in Nepal. This book tells the compelling story of Ole & Hannah's experiences in becoming students of H.H. and many other great Tibetan lamas. It reflects the exuberant and contagiously upflifting personality of Ole Nydahl. He is an indefatigable teacher and meditation master of great ability, who still travels the globe to broadly inspire Diamond Way Buddhism into anyone who attends his delightful courses and events. He has since founded some hundreds of Diamond Way centres around the world. I recommend anyone to read the book, or - even better - to meet him or his students in person at one of his many Diamond Way centres.

This book is amazing. Lama Ole's book is a very exciting story about his first meeting with the Eastern World and Tibetan Buddhism. His honest words and pure view makes this book a perfect teaching and his unique style and humour makes it so enjoyable. If you want to know more about Tibetan Buddhism and want to learn from a Real Yogi, don't hesitate, read this book.

Not only does the book give you a glimse of buddhism, there are retreat centers and contact details in the back; meeting lama ole in person is not a problem because he travels to every major european city and many cities within the U.S.

This book is a very great book that one can not read it fast. One needs to digest the information. I am very happy to have been told by my teachers to read this book. I am so surprised that libraries don't carry such a great book. After I finish my book I donate it to the library so other people can benefit from it. If you are an spritual person and you are interested in growing your soul read this book.

This is a treasure of a book and is very sacred in nature. There are two editions of this book, the first in 1977. The introduction reveals the history of the text and its translations, and the fascinating history that surrounds the text. See "The Life of Marpa the Translator: Seeing Accomplishes All", by Chogyam Trungpa, for further information regarding its history (both texts were written by the same man). Anyway, the first English translation became available early in the 20th century by W. Y. Evans-Wentz.

I am recalling most of this from memory, so my apologies go out to those who find my data incorrect. I highly recommend the new english translation of "The Life of Milarepa" for anyone seeking the life of saints.

The book quality - new, but not excellent material. Prompt delivery. Thought as a gift, so I had hoped for more. If bought for personal usage, would have been OK.

I think Milarepa was one of the highest levels of enlightened beings ever existed on the planet. Considering the Miracles he did. He is one of the recent enlighten masters, and all this happened a few hundred years ago. He has received little Attention compared to Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed and Khrishna. There is defenately a lot to learn from this book, and what he did is worth reading about.

As Milarepa tells his story, one of his disciples interrupts him and says that compared to Milarepa's effort, all of our spiritual practice and effort seems like a banal pretension.

I tend to agree. The story will rekindle your dedication. A great book to get if you are feeling down or if it seems like your spiritual quest is too hard or going nowhere.

It will rekindle your Inner Fire if you give it a chance.

This book offers a thoughtful introduction to the tradition and a careful translation that reads very well. Nice book!

Forget the Buddhist angle, this is a book of stories that are quite extraordinary. It would resonate in any culture or time. If you want to go someplace that's up there with the Moby Dicks of Hobbitsville drifting down a big river on a flimsy raft, come visit this place, it's not as much of an illusion as it seems. This is the life we're all trying to master. Ask any Tiger. But try it as I did and be taken away...

I strongly recommend this book. It is engaging, delightful, and full of help for those seeking enlightenment. These biographies will inspire and entertain readers while at the same time providing valuable information. Obstacles can be overcome. Nicole Riggs is clearly highly realized and very knowledgeable about Tibetan Buddhism. She is the only author I have encountered who has explained what Dakinis are (what they are symbolic of) and their purpose in achieving enlightenment. I look forward to getting a copy of her other book "Milarepa, Songs on the Spot". Buy this book.

At last a book to honor the Shangpa tradition! I've known of this lineage for a long time but never until this book (recommended to me by a friend) have I found accessible material on it. Each chapter tells the story of a different Master. I keep re-reading the stories and songs: there's wisdom to be found for all situations. This book is a gift.

Nicole Riggs has presented a very well written book, but comparing her translation to the Tibetan original, I can't help but notice that she often omits sizable chunks of the texts. But what really has me bewildered is the strange gender issue that she seems to have. When I translate a text, I translate what's written there, period. I do not add things, unless I make it very clear that it is an addition by me, and I certainly don't change things around so they suit me better. But changing even the names of male deities into female ones, now that's utterly ridiculous!!! But as I say, otherwise a good and inspiring read...

Thomas Roth, one of Ven. Tenga Rinpoche's interpreters, Kathmandu

Mr. Zhang's book contains layers of messages. First there is the one that depicts a society and culture deprived of the freedom that is cherished by ours, but even now under attack by a paranoid government. Then there is the uplifting one where the greatness of the human spirit shines through in adversity and chaos. It is a story that should be included in all high school literature classes. Thank you.

It was hard to put the book down! It certainly makes one appreciate the fragility of life, freedom, and the God-given blessings we take for granted. I pray the USA will never encounter the atrocities so many others have experienced.

I loved this book. The book was so powerful and touching. I cried for Andy Zhang's family. I am the parent of an adopted girl from China. I can never read enough about China and it's culture. The struggle and sacrifices that the author's family had to endure is remarkable. This book captures the true meaning of the human spirit. I highly recommend this book.

(Posted on behalf of B. Murray)
The natives of Harbin, China, were no strangers to struggle, but their resourcefulness and community spirit managed to pull them through--until the Cultural Revolution ruptured their lives and destroyed the fabric of their society. This powerfully moving story of the harrowing impacts on the Wang family and their neighbors, based on the experiences of the author's own family and village, brings home in a highly accessible way the damage done; the tortures and summary executions, the shocking ease with which powerful bullies could wreck the lives of their neighbors, the enslavement of a generation of children as farm laborers, and, most powerfully to me, the aftermath as the children who grew up in this chaos try to come to terms with their own experiences. Andy Zhang manages to convey all of this with an almost-deceptive simplicity of language and a fast-moving story line that makes it impossible to put the book down. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Chinese history and culture, the triumph of individual moral courage and kindness in a topsy-turvy world of chaos and thuggishness, or simply a good read
--B. Murray

Andy Zhang's novel is really his own story of growing up in Communist China. From the very first chapter, Zhang boldly carries the reader into the lives of Mama who is about to give birth, Baba who is accused of being a counterrevolutionary by the government, older brother Biao, and little brothers Ming and Dong. Eventually we are introduced to Baby Hai, sister Meili who belongs to the Sent Down Generation, and little Hui, our charming narrator.

The story is an achingly honest account of the Wang family's trials under the Mao regime, including Baby Hai's uncertain future, Baba's imprisonment and Mama's arrest. It is also a personal and touching coming-of-age story during which Zhang reveals small triumphs and great joys hidden in the cruelties of Communism. As Hui grows up and is presented with opportunities and tough choices, we learn that pain and humanity can carry equal weight inside the temptation of revenge. Through Zhang's tender characterization and fresh voice, readers will find themselves endeared by Hui's vulnerabilities and willingness to bear witness to a complicated time in Chinese history.

Also recommended: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

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 ]

I recently read the new Philip Short biography on Mao. A long and good book. However, I did not learn half as much about Mao from Short's book as I did from the New Emperors.

Salisbury writes a highly readable, brilliant book on Mao, the founding of the people's republic of China, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution.

The book does a great job showing the personal side of Mao, how he treated other people, and how he changed over time between 1949 and 1976.

The book also does a great job on the early career of Deng Xiaoping. However, feel the book falters on covering the demise of the Gang of Four and the early rule of Deng. As great as the book was up to this point, I feel he does not thoroughly cover how the gang of four was defeated and the early rule of Deng.

The book recovers in its coverage of Tianaman Square and in its conclusions about China.

This book is 3/4 brilliant and 1/4 ok.

Salisbury's book is so good, his reporting so valuable, that it will provide ample basic information to future historians as they attempt to sift through this period with some scholarly distance. Just prior to Tiananmen "incident" as it is called in China, he went and talked to the last surviving people who remember Mao and Deng, the two most powerful leaders of Communist China. It was a unique time, as China was open for just a moment during a reform period before shutting down again after Tiananmen and those people were about to disappear forever. Salisbury found them and recorded their memories.

The result is a masterpiece of reporting, bringing Mao and Deng to life and in detail like no other account that I have read - and I have read a lot of them! The book concentrates on government and power politics, leaving the details of policies to others, which strikes just the right balance.

Highly recommended.

What Mao and Deng did as China's "new emperors" are well known. For Mao, the Korean war, the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and the establishment of China as a nuclear power; for Deng, the Reform and Opening, and the Tiananmen Massacre.

Why did they do it? This is a question that is seldomly asked and when asked, never satisfactorily answered. Salisbury has attempted to answer such a qusetion with more depth than the simple-minded answer "because they want to stay in power". Salisbury carefully laid out for the readers how Mao and Deng's acts were shaped by their personal histories, by attitudes of other countries toward China, and by the burden of Chinese history and culture (unlike America, the Chinese leaders did not start from a clean slate, instead, they carried 5,000 years of history with them). In short, this book is about how history, culture, international hostility and personality has shaped modern China; how these factors brought out the "emperor instincts" in Mao and, to a lesser extent, Deng.

Indeed, what Mao did was almost right out of history books. The emperors' attempts to annhilate their enemies when they sensed danger, the emperors' attempts to better people's lives using means that were totally naive and against human nature, has happened numerous times in Chinese history. China has been too burdened with its history, and Mao was simply an emperor fulfilling his roles while the whole world was watching.

The book also touched upon an interesting (and sad) question: what blames should be placed on ordinary people? It was Mao who unleashed the darkest aspects of human nature during Cultural Revolution, but the darkest sides of some Chinese people were so dark that one has to wonder: why were these people worse than beasts? The Red Guards and the on-lookers who readily cheered as thousands and thousands of people were tortured and beaten (or drowned, pushed from high-rise buildings) to death has to make one wonder: why did they do it? why did they have no judgment of their own and could become the worst creatures on earth simply because of a few words from their leaders? I believe that, if China wants to prevents something like the Cultural Revolution from happening again, it will not be enough to openly admit Mao's role in these atrocities. Ordinary people will also have to do some soul-searching.

After reading this book, I felt extremely sad. I sensed that the disasters that happened to the Chinese people in the past decades could have been avoided. If only Mao had studied Western politics instead of focusing entirely on the deeds of Chinese emperors; if only Kim Ii-Sung wasn't such a fool as to start the Korean War; if only the Chinese people were exposed to Western culture earlier and possessed more qualities than blind patriotism and loyalty; if only more of Mao's subordinates were willing to be outspoken; if only Stalin was a bit less sinister toward China; if only America was a bit more open-minded and not refusing Mao's request for negotiations outright... The list is endless. History is full of missed chances, and ordinary people suffer. Although no reversal is possible, we may be able to learn from the past and avoid some disasters in the future. Because of this, I highly recommend this book.

I am a fan of Salisbury's works for a long time, and this book has not disappointed me. The writing is compelling, the materials well organized, and his unbiased reporting is as good as ever. This is one of the best books on the modern history of China.

This book set me off on a binge of Chinese history reading. I had to know more about Kang Sheng, for example, and "Claws of the Dragon" helped shed light on this "immortal". Then there were: Zhou Enlai's hagiography 'Eldest Son' at the hands of Han Suyin; The White Boned Demon, about Jiang Qing; Mao's doctor's self-glorifying account; Deng's biography. Nothing compares to this book for readability and sense of magnitude. You meet the twenty or so people who decided the fates of a billion Chinese. Modern democracy has nothing to compare. The personalities in recent Chinese history, the importance of them, are staggering. The Great Leap, the Cultural Revolution--these hellish mass movements affected hundreds of millions of people. You get to see the tiny coterie which ordered the lives of a significant portion of the Earth's inhabitants for fifty years. An amazing book.
I wish Harrison Salisbury were still around to write an update. TNE stops in 1991 as the economy is slowing and the hardliners are asserting themselves. Deng visited the "new cities" on the South China Sea in 1993-4, invigorating them and the "capitalism with Chinese characteristics" which they represented. What followed, of course, is our recent history of China thinking itself as a great power.

Let's face it, China is rapidly replacing Russia as the chief rival of the U.S. in world affairs. And anyone who wants to begin to understand modern China must start with this book. Harrison Salisbury is an excellent journalist and writer who chronicles the tragic history of China from the beginning of the communist regime through the early 1990s. He focusses on the two leaders, Mao and Deng, who guided China into the modern era, causing at least as much if not far more destruction to their country the good that came from modernity. The irony is that while Mao was an egomaniacal madman, Deng was at heart a decent man who rebounded from being jailed and humiliated by the Cultural Revolution only to ruin his more benevolent legacy at Tianamen Square in 1989. Salisbury's account is readable and insightful and is essential for anyone with an interest in the country.

The author has an agenda to bash America in this work, all the more incredible since one would think the nation of Japan, which has never officially apologized for the atrocities described in this bood, would more than suffice as a punching bag for him, the author. His determination to get that bashing in, in the second half of the work, distracted him from delivering the proper scope and balance in telling the story the author is probably capable of. Worth the price though (especially if you can get it at a discount).

This is why my mother won't visit China. Although she would like to learn more about Chinese culture, she discouraged my visiting China because she was afraid something would bite me or I would bring vermin back not because the Chinese are inherently dirty but because she accurately remembers the strength of vermin warfare inflicted upon China and is convinced that the poisoning of China's water system and soil makes Chinese products suspect even before the industrial accidents in recent news. It takes a widespread intense campaign to deal with this problem. I didn't read this book before visiting China but I believed that she was being practical in her advise and not political. This problem needs to be researched. One must satisfy the most critical person in order to solve the problem correctly.

I came from the city where the Japanse secret germ army operated during the second world war. What the author stated in the book is true. The truth can not be denied by the Japanese Government. Don`t judge anything as lie or truth, unless you find out with yoru own eyes.

I recently attended a lecture by Daniel Barenblatt in NYC. The subject was of course Barenblatt's new book A PLAGUE UPON HUMANITY. Whereas the use of human medical experimentation is now a well known aspect of the Nazi extermination program, the fact that
Japan innovated these same techniques, as well as implementing a lethal biological warfare unit, directed by Dr. Ishii Shiro & imposed upon the Chinese population in Manchuria & Occupied China, prior & parallel to the Nazi regime, is less known in the Western World.
Whereas some books on this topic have been published, Mr. Barenblatt, with integrity & the detachment necessary to cover the terrain, has written a contemporary & updated version of the material That he does so fills an important gap in our historical understanding but moreover, underlies the situation in which we now live.
The 25 photographs speak without words. The 10 chapters & for this reader, in particular the last chapter `What The Deal Brought' wherein the implication of this program for our current policy is clear become apparent.. In an era of lethal indifference , poisoned ambients, both intellectual & environmental, a voice such as Barenblatt's must be heeded.

The author Dan Barenblatt has his special background in chemistry and the most precious common human values to complete such a wonderful book. I can image how much efforts he put to overcome the difficullties since the auther does not read and write Chinese.
The most impressive from in this book is the auther try to understand the facts of the history and the cause of it. Unless we understand the cause of the historic tragedy, it will repeat again.
For example he spent a good amount of efforts to analyze what cause the head of Unit 731 - Dr. Shiro Ishii to commit such a huge crime on germ warfare from his family, social background and political environment at that time and how America knew about it, how the secret deal was made later. The auther wanted to present the whole true history base on the individual has right to know, without knowing the fact, the justice and human values are easily betrayed by interest or other purpose.
You will be touched by this most forgotten or unkown history presented in the book; but as a Chinese auther I was touched and amazed by his efforts and unbiased humaneness