A Many Splendored Thing was published in 1952 to great acclaim.
Dr. Han Su Yin in this autobiographical memoir, disguised as a novel, has written a many-layered story of her love relationship with a correspondent of a British newspaper.
In the novel, he is called Mark Elliott. His true name was Ian Morrison. Ian was married though separated.
Sadly, the affair ended prematurely as Ian was killed while covering the Korean War.
Embedded in this richly evocative longing for love and happiness, are sharp penetrative observations on China of the 1940s, the imminent fall to Communism, and its impact on the Christian missionaries and the Chinese people in China.
I first read this book in 2008 over a span of 6 days. Rereading this book beginning 19 October 2021 in Cameron Highlands Resort, while on holiday till 22 October 2021, my focus this time is on Han Su Yin’s cultural and economic observations.
This memoir has a brilliant Introduction by Malcolm Macdonald. He was the Governor-General of British territories in Southeast Asia from 1946 to 1948 and then Commissioner-General for Southeast Asia during the Malayan Emergency.