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The Opium War (2011)

by Julia Lovell(Favorite Author)

3.74 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0330537858 (ISBN13: 9780330537858)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Picador

review 1: The history of the two opium wars between Britain and China. Lovell shows in careful detail what a mismatch they were; from an organizational and military point of view. The Chinese reaction to invasion was horrendous at points with hundreds taking their own lives certain they would be tortured. Lovell also deals with how the opium wars have been used by Chinese governments up to the present day for a variety of nationalistic purposes, and how the era of 'Yellow Peril' in the west came directly from the opium wars and still infects attitudes about China with a certain amount of hysteria. History to make you think.
review 2: Very enjoyable book. The history was told in a compelling and entertaining way, pleasantly free from polemic. The Chinese history was fasci... morenating, particularly the overall message that to understand China's interaction with foreigners, you have to understand the internal politics of China. I hadn't appreciated how much a relatively small incident in British history is still impacting Chinese relationships today. Highly recommend this. less

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