Best Historical China Biographies

The story of three generations in twentieth-century China that blends the intimacy of memoir and the panoramic sweep of eyewitness history—a bestselling classic in thirty languages with more than ten million copies sold around the world, now with a new introduction from the author. The New Yorker Her family chronicle resembles a popular novel that stars strong, beautiful women and provides cameo roles for famous men....But Wild Swans is no romance.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am sure it would be very good for the younger Chinese generation to read this account as it is of great historic interest for all the world but perhaps especially appropriate for the present Chinese generation to re acquaint themselves with what their ancestors have had to strive for."
"Jung Chang passionately teaches the unfortunate story of life in China for three generations of women in her family."
"In my (admittedly narrow) experience, Chinese people who grew up during the Cultural Revolution tend not to want to talk too much about those years."
"Although the narrative is often intense, the book doesn't come across as overly critical of Chinese culture at the time, even though women in western nations didn't have to endure anything like women in the far east during the same time."
"When I first purchased this book (as a book accompanying a college class) I had very little interest in the book matter, and only saw a 500+ page book I was being forced into reading."
"Ms. Chang writes very dryly and dispassionately about her family's torment and trouble, I suspect because it is impossible for her to deal on an emotional level with the remembrance of such things as her mother's being made to kneel on broken glass. Yes, it IS history, and ought to be read as such, but it is also an affirmation of the survival of love, family, and the human spirit in incredibly tough times."
"It is a sweeping Memoir about how the coming of the communist age in China, and the madness of a man who wished to be Emperor or even God, affected only one family."

The story of three generations in twentieth-century China that blends the intimacy of memoir and the panoramic sweep of eyewitness history—a bestselling classic in thirty languages with more than ten million copies sold around the world, now with a new introduction from the author. In Wild Swans Jung Chang recounts the evocative, unsettling, and insistently gripping story of how three generations of women in her family fared in the political maelstrom of China during the 20th century. Born just a few decades apart, their lives overlap with the end of the warlords' regime and overthrow of the Japanese occupation, violent struggles between the Kuomintang and the Communists to carve up China, and, most poignant for the author, the vicious cycle of purges orchestrated by Chairman Mao that discredited and crushed millions of people, including her parents. In 1949, while he drove 1000 miles in a jeep to the southwestern province where they would do Mao's spadework, Bao Qin walked alongside the vehicle, sick and pregnant (she lost the child).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am sure it would be very good for the younger Chinese generation to read this account as it is of great historic interest for all the world but perhaps especially appropriate for the present Chinese generation to re acquaint themselves with what their ancestors have had to strive for."
"Jung Chang passionately teaches the unfortunate story of life in China for three generations of women in her family."
"In my (admittedly narrow) experience, Chinese people who grew up during the Cultural Revolution tend not to want to talk too much about those years."
"Although the narrative is often intense, the book doesn't come across as overly critical of Chinese culture at the time, even though women in western nations didn't have to endure anything like women in the far east during the same time."
"When I first purchased this book (as a book accompanying a college class) I had very little interest in the book matter, and only saw a 500+ page book I was being forced into reading."
"Ms. Chang writes very dryly and dispassionately about her family's torment and trouble, I suspect because it is impossible for her to deal on an emotional level with the remembrance of such things as her mother's being made to kneel on broken glass. Yes, it IS history, and ought to be read as such, but it is also an affirmation of the survival of love, family, and the human spirit in incredibly tough times."
"It is a sweeping Memoir about how the coming of the communist age in China, and the madness of a man who wished to be Emperor or even God, affected only one family."

The untold and inspiring story of Eric Liddell, hero of Chariots of Fire , from his Olympic medal to his missionary work in China to his last, brave years in a Japanese work camp during WWII Many people will remember Eric Liddell as the Olympic gold medalist from the Academy Award winning film Chariots of Fire . Famously, Liddell would not run on Sunday because of his strict observance of the Christian sabbath, and so he did not compete in his signature event, the 100 meters, at the 1924 Paris Olympics. In the spirit of The Boys in the Boat and Unbroken , For the Glory is both a compelling narrative of athletic heroism and a gripping story of faith in the darkest circumstances. Praise for Duncan Hamilton's FOR THE GLORY: “Duncan Hamilton’s compelling biography puts flesh on the legend and paints a vivid picture of not only a great athlete, but also a very special human being.” — Daily Mail. “Poignant…moving…[FOR THE GLORY] will appeal to fans of Chariots of Fire as well as Unbroken and similar books.” — Kirkus.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Liddell accomplished great feats of athleticism, then left behind fame and fortune to pursue a much higher calling in the dangerous mission field of China. He did it all with the highest character, living a life that was very nearly unblemished before it came to an untimely end in a Japanese prison camp. There were a number of elements that made this biography stand out to me, the first of which was Hamilton’s telling of the 1924 Olympics and especially of Liddell’s gold medal triumph. Liddell was suffering deeply in this time, yet wanted to do something fun for the people who were with him in that Japanese prison camp. Liddell never competed again, and those privileged to see his farewell to athletics appreciated only retrospectively the absolute miracle he performed in front of them. The dying man had lost, but to them he was still the champion.”. Another element that stood out was the depth of the criticism that faced Liddell when he refused to complete his race on Sunday. Because of his decision not to compete on a Sunday, Liddell was dismissed as a pacifist in top competition—a man with a soft center. “There have always been personalities who hide only where the press and the photographers are certain to find them and plunge into fame, letting its riptide carry them away. Hamilton portrays Liddell as living an almost unbelievably good life that was followed by an agonizingly tragic death. Not only was he separated from those he loved most, but he fell into a deep depression at least in part because doctors had told him his physical symptoms were a sign of mental weakness, that he was going through a nervous breakdown. He “felt inexplicably guilty about it [telling friends].” He said, “There is just one thing that troubles me … I ought to have been able to cast it all on the Lord and not have broken down under it.” He died without knowing the truth, that he had a malignant brain tumor that was destroying him from within. His last words were fitting: “It’s complete surrender.”. Hamilton’s telling of Liddell’s life is uniformly positive, perhaps because he simply couldn’t find any major blemishes. His telling occasionally reflects a little bit of antagonism toward certain Christian organizations and includes a couple of unfortunate word choices and cultural references."
"Excellent sports story too (I believe written by a sports writer?)."
"Chariots of Fire , a movie that captured 4 Academy awards in 1981, focuses on one small time in the life of Eric Liddell."
"The movie Chariots of Fire, like all movies, required compression to tell a story that was not very well known."
"Erin Liddell, Olympic gold medal winning considered greater value to suffer for Christ and proclaim Christ than pursuing the fleeting pleasures of these world."
"Nice to know "the rest of the story.""
"If you've ever wondered what the whole story was behind Chariots of Fire and what happened to Eric Liddell, this is a must read."
"Liddell and Dietrich Bonhoeffer were the two most faithful Christian martyrs of World War II."
Best History of Buddhism

Drawn directly from 24 Pali, Sanskrit, and Chinese sources, and retold by Thich Nhat Hanh in his inimitably beautiful style, this book traces the Buddha’s life slowly and gently over the course of 80 years, partly through the eyes of Svasti, the buffalo boy, and partly through the yes of the Buddha himself. The simple style is engaging, leading the reader through events in the Buddha's life while taking care to present and reinforce the central meaning and tone of his teaching.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Book was in fair condition."
"This book is a must read for the spiritual seeker, a devout practitioner, or anyone who simply wants to know more about the core elements of the Buddha and Buddhism."
"I bought this book to "get to know" the Buddha better and learn more about his life and teachings."
"All true but do read more than one book."
"quick service great book."
"As a Buddhist, I really appreciate this biography of the Buddha, though it will work as an introduction to those only getting interested in Buddhism."
"If you are looking for a biography of the Buddha without constant source references (they are provided in the back) or analysis, if you are just looking for the story of his life, you might really enjoy Old Path White Clouds like I did."
Best Hong Kong History

Girard and Lambot spent four years exploring the notorious Walled City of Kowloon (Hong Kong), before it's final clearance in 1992.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Fascinating journey into another world."
"really some of the best photos, stories and insight on kowloon walled city demolished almost 20 years ago."
"It truly is sad this city no longer exists."
"Great gift and coffee table conversation piece."
"And the book itself is fascinating, just as described."
"Having lost the small pamphlet on the Kowloon Walled City that I had bought at the Hong Kong art museum many years ago, I did a web search to see if there was anything available to replace it."
"Update - 5 stars: I wrote a review before and gave a 2-star rating because I had a quality issue with this book - the binding on my copy came unglued after looking through it once or twice."
"Here are some snippets from the official website for the new edition, which will be a 356-page hardcover: "The new edition will include extended new sections on the history of the Triads in the City, the City's peculiar legal status, its architecture, and how it is has become part of popular culture.""
Best Historical Japan Biographies

The dramatic, pulse-pounding story of Harry Truman’s first four months in office, when this unlikely president had to take on Germany, Japan, Stalin, and the atomic bomb, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. although there are plenty of good biographies of Truman, few are as entertaining as Baime’s." Baime is a master storyteller, and The Accidental President contains everything a reader could ever want from a work of history: characters that jump off the page, tension that makes your pulse pound, and smooth, smart writing that makes you think. Baime's biography uses new sources to paint Harry Truman as a complex and thoroughly American figure. Baime has put a spotlight on those four months, recounting them faithfully and with heart, so that you come away with not only a sense of history, but a sense of the man, Harry Truman, as well. As Grandpa himself said a few years later, ‘It’s hell to be President of the Greatest Most Powerful Nation on Earth.’” —Clifton Truman Daniel, Truman’s grandson and author of Growing Up with My Grandfather: Memories of Harry Truman. “An entertaining new history of Truman’s first months in office...filled with events that are strikingly proportionate to what the Trump administration has weathered since January.” —John Batchelor, The Daily Beast. "By relying mostly on primary sources, Baime allows for a better perspective of Truman, in which his political decisions are equally as significant as the correspondence with his beloved wife, daughter, and mother. His carefully crafted narrative transports the reader back in time... Each sentence is carefully constructed and colorfully packed with details that makes Harry Truman and this period in history come alive.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"His previous books on Willow Run and the La Mans battle between Ferrari and Ford were just tremendous. Taking what Baime claims is four of perhaps the four most consequential months of any presidency, a point of which is probably correct, this book starts off with FDR's surprising death in Warm Springs, Georgia as World War II reaches its penultimate moments with the collapse of Germany and the beginning of the end of the Empire of Japan."
"We have all read good books and great books from a historical perspective. This book is one, if you please, that is an absolute must read."
"I highly recommend this book to students of history, Truman, WWII, and/or the Presidency."
"Baime has produced a meticulously researched account of the period from April to August 1945, telling the dramatic story of how an underestimated man took the weight of the world on his shoulders. He took the oath, summoned the Cabinet, and began a series of meetings, in one of which he was informed for the first time of the Manhattan Project to build an atomic weapon. Over the next days and weeks he dealt with the complexities of guiding the US through the final days of the war in Europe, began to make plans for the post-war economy, made contact with other world leaders (some for the first time), discussed plans for the ongoing war with Japan, and above all had the first of a series of exchanges with Stalin, Molotov, and other Soviet officials which revealed sharp ideological differences. He oversaw the establishment of the United Nations, led negotiations at Potsdam with Churchill, Attlee, and Stalin, and approved the use of the atom bomb on Japan. Among the unanswered questions of twentieth century history are those which ask whether the Cold War was inevitable, or if Roosevelt could have done a better job than his successor in easing tensions with the Soviets, thus avoiding the creation of the Iron Curtain."
"Excellant Book !!!"
"My only regret is that my dad is no longer alive to talk with me; he was a gunner on a B-29 in the Pacific just as the new Truman administration was trying to figure out how to defeat the Japanese, leading to the A-bomb decision."
"Good book."
"Works well as a companion to other books."
Best Historical India & South Asia Biographies

The astonishing, uplifting story of a real-life Indiana Jones and his humanitarian campaign to use education to combat terrorism in the Taliban’s backyard. Anyone who despairs of the individual’s power to change lives has to read the story of Greg Mortenson, a homeless mountaineer who, following a 1993 climb of Pakistan’s treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain villagers and promised to build them a school. Coauthor Relin recounts Mortenson's efforts in fascinating detail, presenting compelling portraits of the village elders, con artists, philanthropists, mujahideen, Taliban officials, ambitious school girls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It's a good children's book."
"This was a well written account and put forth a totally different solution to terrorism than the popular media presents."
"Both books offer extended examples of the heroics these men went to in order to safely escort/save Mortenson and Luttrell."
"Should be required reading in school."
"I thought it was far too full of flowery language and exaggeration, which was inappropriate for an account of real events."
"They need to be empowered to make their own decisions about schools, culture centers and health care, locally... not patronized as incapable so we have to do it for them. Would that not have been a greater good and left the local residents to direct their own futures? The poppy war lords had a vested interest and money as did many of the people with whom Mortenson came into contact. He had not been invited to do so and while the book is an interesting adventure, had it not been a book club selection, I would have stopped reading on ethical principles alone."