This is not the sort of book I usually read and it is far from an easy topic. But I found it well-written, rewarding and eyA major issue of our times.
This is not the sort of book I usually read and it is far from an easy topic. But I found it well-written, rewarding and eye-opening. Truly a major issue of our times....more
An utterly memorable series, beautifully translated for an English-language audience. Fabulous characters drawn on a backgroMind-bending and memorable
An utterly memorable series, beautifully translated for an English-language audience. Fabulous characters drawn on a background of boundless imagination. These books will live with you....more
Waited a long time for this. It was worth it. An excellent sequel to the excellent Shades of Grey. Now we know everything. Almost everything.Ezcellent
Waited a long time for this. It was worth it. An excellent sequel to the excellent Shades of Grey. Now we know everything. Almost everything. I hope we have not seen the last of Eddie and Jane....more
This was an excellent read. A host of beautifully drawn characters from all parts of Chinese society get caught up and try to survive amid the chaos oThis was an excellent read. A host of beautifully drawn characters from all parts of Chinese society get caught up and try to survive amid the chaos of the twilight years of the Qing Empire. A massive peasant army led by a religious zealot is engaged in a Civil War with the Manchu Dynasty that will rage for fourteen years and lead to the death of tens of millions. This is history that most Western readers are only dimly aware of, but it had a world-changing impact. Here it forms a splendidly portrayed backdrop to the intrigues, machinations and fighters on both sides of the war and the foreigners trapped in the middle of it all. Epic in scale, this would make a great movie....more
A unique and wonderful record of an island where magic still reigns
This is a series of beautifully written short stories recounting the experiences ofA unique and wonderful record of an island where magic still reigns
This is a series of beautifully written short stories recounting the experiences of a foreigner who had the rare fortune to spend a year in the company of the Two people of Taiwan's Orchid Island, or Lanyu in Chinese. The rich descriptions of the island and its people are still relevant today. Gaze down from the hills, see the rock formation that looks like a warship and the two lions facing each other in the ocean, and the years slide away. Orchid Island today is still the place the author knew and the islanders are still it's people. An essential read for a prospective visitor or anyone dreaming about escaping to a different world from the one they know and immersing themselves in a culture where magic still reigns....more
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