Mao the scholar
Most people are under the impression that Mao is a coarse and illiterate leader, perhaps because of his round and big Hunan facial features. That…
Excellent – Revolutionary Iran: A History of the Islamic Republic
Michael Axworthy writes very well. Readers looking for a readable history of the causes that led to the fall of the Shah in 1979 to…
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A gripping rescue – Operation Thunderbolt: The Entebbe Raid – The Most Audacious Hostage Rescue Mission in History
This book was published in 2015 for the 40th anniversary of the taking of Flight 139 by terrorists and the successful rescue by Israelis special…
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Well told – The Siege: 68 Hours Inside the Taj Hotel
This is a very good book. I read it with great interest as my wife and I actually stayed in The Taj to attend a…
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A wonderful tale – The Odyssey of China’s Imperial Art Treasures
This 147 page book is a mere introduction, but to my knowledge the only book in English that tells the story of how the Qing…
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Thoroughly researched – Gandhi 1914-1948: The Years That Changed the World
A highly readable and brisk biography of 1000 pages on The Mahatma from his return to India in 1915 to his assassination in 1948 .…
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Wonderful book – The Adventures of Wu: The Life Cycle of a Peking Man
This is a book that I have pleasure dipping into once every Chinese New Year approaches. This book is actually a compilation of separate installments…
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Pictorial biography – The Nehrus: Personal Histories
This is a gem of a book for readers interested in a pictorial history of the Nehru families. The family photos are many and beautifully…
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A celebration – Japan and the Culture of the Four Seasons: Nature, Literature, and the Arts
This is not an easy book to read. The intent of this book is excellent. The scope covered to examine the relationship between the four…
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An excellent brief account – D-Day (Turning Points in History)
Readers looking for a detailed history of Operation Overlord should look elsewhere. This concise history of 180 pages is more for the reader who is…
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Exquisite – The Tale of Genji(Roughcut)
There are four famous English translations. The earlier ones are by Arthur Waley and Edward Seidensticker. Here is a review of the two recent English…
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