Leonardo da Vinci: An Untraceable Life by Stephen Campbell. This 2025 biography is not typical. It is a very difficult read. By resisting a conventional…
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Month: October 2025
Ancient Christianities
Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years by Paula Fredriksen (2024) is not an easy read. The book traces the evolution of early Christianity. I…
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The Pen Behind the Gavel
This is a book for judges on how to write good and clear judgments. Ross Guberman in Point Taken (2015) suggests various approaches that a…
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1911 Revolution—Part 1
Dr. Sun Yat-sen has been given too much credit for the 1911 Revolution that toppled the Ching dynasty. (The Unfinished Revolution: Sun Yat-sen and the…
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Reading Tibet
History of Modern Tibet (4 volumes) by Melvin C. Goldstein is considered the most authoritative and balanced history of modern Tibet. Goldstein uses both Chinese…
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The Struggle for Modern Tibet
The Struggle for Modern Tibet: The Autobiography of Tashi Tsering (1997) is an unvarnished history of Tibet from 1929 to the 1990s. Tashi wanted to…
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Red Star Over China
Red Star over China is now considered a classic work as it was the first account the world had of the Red bandits of China…
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A critical analysis of Mao’s achievements – Part 3
The Long March began with many defeats for the Reds. The Troika struggled to come up with a strategic plan for retreat. In January 1935,…
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Scandinavian tour and fairytales
Of the four Scandinavian countries I toured last Sep 2025, arguably the most scenic is Norway with its magnificent fjords. Finland, Denmark, and Sweden pale…
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