A Biography of Cao Cao
Rafe de Crespigny is an Australian sinologist, now aged 90. He specialises in the history of the Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period. His…
A biography – The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail and His Time
This 2006 book deserves a large readership. I read it in 2007. A biography of Malaysia’s deputy Prime Minister, this book is based on his…
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A brilliant history – Russia Against Napoleon: The Battle for Europe
Rereading this over 5 days in May 2020 I am amazed by Lieven’s command of Russian sources. His analysis is cogent. What comes out clearly…
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Between Napoleon and Tsar Alexander I
There are 2 excellent books on the war between Napoleon and Tsar Alexander I. Zamoyski ‘s book was published in 2004. It is 644 pages…
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Zhou En Lai
Zhou En Lai ‘s life is the history of modern China to 1970s. He was the eminence grise. Some condemned him for failing to stop…
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By Han Suyin
Han Suyin sadly is not well known nowadays. But in the 1950s she was a famous writer of works on China. Here are some books…
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The political writing – Lu Xun’s Revolution: Writing in a Time of Violence
Lu Xun is recognised as the preeminent man of letters of modern Chinese literature. Lu Xun is not his real name. He first used this…
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By Mo Yan
Mo Yan is his nom de plume. He won the 2012 Nobel prize for literature. Here are 3 of his more famous works. Shifu is…
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Chinese civilization in its totality
This 4-volume set is part of the Cambridge China Library which is a series of new English translations of books by Chinese scholars that have…
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By Lu Xun
Lu Xun is recognised as the preeminent man of letters of modern Chinese literature. Lu Xun is not his real name. He first used this…
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Escape from encirclement
The Long March has achieved mythical status in Chinese history. 80,000 men, women and children trekked for one year and 4,000 miles to escape encirclement…
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