No comments about I Sailed with Chinese Pirates.

No comments about UNESCO World Heritage Atlas: China.

No comments about The Heart of a Continent: A Narrative of Travels in Manchuria, across the Gobi Desert, through the Himalayas, the Pamirs, and Chitral, 1884-1894.

2 comments about The Empty Throne.

1. After reading the book "The Last Manchuu" the autobiography of the last emperor of China PuYi, I often wondered about what happened to the remaining cast of the story. This book was able to satisfy some of my curiosity. In contrast to the rather heavy approach taken in 'The Last Manchu' and the epic movie by Bernardo Bertolucci, Tony Scotland has given us a cheerful narrative of his romp through China in search of the 'next' emperor along with his rather interesting sidekick 'loud report'. This is not meant to be a serious book on history although there was enough of it for the reader to sustain his curiosity as it reaches a satisfactory conclusion. I am somewhat surprised that it took a Westerner to write this long overdue followup on the story of the last emperor. For all who had seen the movie, I highly recommend this book.



2. As well as the author once did, I have often wondered about "who" was next in line after the Hsuan Tung Emperor (Aisin Gioro Pu-yi) and what happened to "Little Jui", his chosen heir, and Mr. Scotland's book offered an answer to these and many other questions. Besides, the book is very enjoyable to read, and gives the reader a most interesting view of many sides of today's China -as well as a feeling of nostalgia for gone days. The author writes in a most pleasant way, with a nice sense of humor and a most honest approach to many subjects. Apart from the main quest for the Manchu heir, Mr. Scotland's pages about his contacts with Chinese authorities and people, and his wanderings in Beijing and Manchuria are wonderful to read. The book also offers new sides of the Hsuan Tung's emperor life and family, as well as an interesting panorama of the last days of the Qing dynasty -even if some facts should be reviewed (for instance, Sterling Seagrave's "Dragonlady" has shown many dark stories about Dowager Empress Ci Xi were mere fabrications). I highly reccomend the book.

2 comments about 365 Days in China Calendar 2007.

1. These photos will leave you in awe. I have done many trips to China and Dennis Cox captures the feeling with a superb sense and awareness of the Chinese culture.



2. I first heard about this calendar on one of my many yahoo groups, someone had posted that this calendar had wonderful photos and I couldn't agree more! This calendar features 1 province each month and has a small black outline of China and shows where the province is in China. There is 1 large photo and then each day has it's own small photo. The photos where captured by Dennis Cox and each month has a write up of that province by Lisa See who does a wonderful job. The provinces featured are: Zhejiang, Anhui, Hebei & Shangdong,Guangxi, Shanghai, Yunnan, Sichuan, Jiangsu, Inner Mongolia, Beijing, Shaanxi & Shanxi and Xinjiang.
   
   It is my hope that in the following years the calendar has each of the provinces in China. If you use a felt tip marker for marking things on the calendar you should be able to cut out the photos and use them for your child's lifebook or to make an ABC China book. There are many beautiful photos it maybe hard to choose which photos to use.

No comments about Eastern Tibet: Bridging Tibet and China.

No comments about Caravan Across China: An American Geologist Explores the Northwest, 1937-1938.

No comments about Reclaimed Land: Hong Kong in Transition.

4 comments about Time Out Shanghai (Time Out Guides).

1. After a three-week visit to China and Taiwan, I am happy to say that the Time Out guide to Shanghai was by far the best single-city guide I used. It's replete with valuable information about attractions, hotels, restaurants, shops, spas, etc. and also contains a useful historical overview. Beyond this, however, the layout is terrific, and the book is remarkably easy to use as a result (certainly much better than the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet in this regard). The maps, in particular, are helpful. My only complaint: it would have been nice to have more place names in Chinese, but there are four pages in the very back that list major sites.



2. I recently used TO Shanghai to navigate a business trip to the city: quite a useful guide with plentiful restaurant, watering hole and sight-seeing suggestions. I'd definintely purchase a Time Out guidebook again (I love the mags!).



3. Just returned from 1 week business/pleasure visit to Shanghai and I found this guide full of good recommendations and descriptions were accurate. Better than Lonely Planet's Best of Shanghai which I also bought.



4. I bought every guide there was on my way to Shanghai, and this was the best by far, with clear maps, a pronounciation guide that makes sense and clear, to-the-point reviews.

No comments about Self and Society in Ming Thought (Studies in Oriental Culture, No. 4).