Download or read book Hermit of Peking written by Hugh R. Trevor-Roper and published by Eland & Sickle Moon Books. This book was released on 1993 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The trail of discovery began when Hugh Trevor-Roper received in somewhat unusual circumstances the voluminous memoirs of Sir Edmund Backhouse, the celebrated Chinese scholar and co-author of two standard works on Chinese history. The memoirs describe a very different person from the one who had apparently lived such a respectable life until his death in 1944. Backhouse claimed that he had been intimate with many notable characters including Verlaine and Lord Rosebery, and that his many lovers (of both sexes) had included the Dowager Empress of China. It gradually became clear that the detailed, plausible and very obscene memoirs were a work of fantasy - yet a fantasy interwoven with detailed fact. Intrigued, Hugh Trevor-Roper set out to discover as much as he could about Sir Edmund Backhouse, and unearthed the story of one of the most outrageous confidence tricksters of this century.
Download or read book Hermit of Peking written by Hugh Redwald Trevor-Roper and published by Fromm International. This book was released on 1986 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book City of Lingering Splendor written by John Blofeld and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2001-05-01 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his early twenties, John Blofeld spent what he describes as "three exquisitely happy years" in Peking during the era of the last emperor, when the breathtaking greatness of China's ancient traditions was still everywhere evident. Arriving in 1934, he found a city imbued with the atmosphere of the recent imperial past and haunted by the powerful spirit of the late Dowager Empress Tzu Hsi. He entered a world of magnificent palaces and temples of the Forbidden City, of lotus-covered lakes and lush pleasure-gardens, of bustling bazaars and peaceful bathhouses, and of "flower houses" with their beautiful young courtesans versed in the arts of pleasing men. With a novelists' command of detail and dialogue, Blofeld vividly re-creates the magic of these years and conveys to the reader his appreciation and nostalgia for a way of life long vanished.
Download or read book History and the Enlightenment written by Hugh Trevor-Roper and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2010-06-29 with total page 341 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The historical philosophy of the Enlightenment -- The Scottish Enlightenment -- Pietro Giannone and Great Britain -- Dimitrie Cantemir's Ottoman history and its reception in England -- From deism to history: Conyers Middleton -- David Hume, historian -- The idea of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire -- Gibbon and the publication of the Decline and fall of the Roman Empire 1776-1976 -- Gibbon's last project -- The romantic movement and the study of history -- Lord Macaulay: the history of England -- Thomas Carlyle's historical philosophy -- Jacob Burckhardt.
Download or read book Gu Hongming s Eccentric Chinese Odyssey written by Chunmei Du and published by University of Pennsylvania Press. This book was released on 2019-04-02 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Known for his ultraconservatism and eccentricity, Gu Hongming (1857-1928) remains one of the most controversial figures in modern Chinese intellectual history. A former member of the colonial elite from Penang who was educated in Europe, Gu, in his late twenties, became a Qing loyalist and Confucian spokesman who also defended concubinage, footbinding, and the queue. Seen as a reactionary by his Chinese contemporaries, Gu nevertheless gained fame as an Eastern prophet following the carnage of World War I, often paired with Rabindranath Tagore and Leo Tolstoy by Western and Japanese intellectuals. Rather than resort to the typical conception of Gu as an inscrutable eccentric, Chunmei Du argues that Gu was a trickster-sage figure who fought modern Western civilization in a time dominated by industrial power, utilitarian values, and imperialist expansion. A shape-shifter, Gu was by turns a lampooning jester, defying modern political and economic systems and, at other times, an avenging cultural hero who denounced colonial ideologies with formidable intellect, symbolic performances, and calculated pranks. A cultural amphibian, Gu transformed from an "imitation Western man" to "a Chinaman again," and reinterpreted, performed, and embodied "authentic Chineseness" in a time when China itself was adopting the new identity of a modern nation-state. Gu Hongming's Eccentric Chinese Odyssey is the first comprehensive study in English of Gu Hongming, both the private individual and the public cultural figure. It examines the controversial scholar's intellectual and psychological journeys across geographical, national, and cultural boundaries in new global contexts. In addition to complicating existing studies of Chinese conservatism and global discussions on civilization around the World War I era, the book sheds new light on the contested notion of authenticity within the Chinese diaspora and the psychological impact of colonialism.
Download or read book The Professor and the Parson written by Adam Sisman and published by Catapult. This book was released on 2020-02-04 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This “amusing and elegantly written” romp takes readers on a wild ride through the life of Robert Parkin Peters (The New York Times Book Review)—a liar, bigamist, and fraudulent priest who tricked some of the brightest minds of his generation. One day in November 1958, the celebrated historian Hugh Trevor–Roper received a curious letter. It was an appeal for help, written on behalf of a student at Magdalen College, with the unlikely claim that he was being persecuted by the Bishop of Oxford. Curiosity piqued, Trevor–Roper agreed to a meeting. It was to be his first encounter with Robert Parkin Peters: plagiarist, bigamist, fraudulent priest, and imposter extraordinaire. The Professor and the Parson is a witty and charming portrait of eccentricity, extraordinary narcissism, and a life as wild and unlikely as any in fiction. Motivated not by money but by a desire for prestige, Peters lied, stole, and cheated his way to academic positions and religious posts from Cambridge to New York. Frequently deported, and even more frequently discovered, he left a trail of destruction including seven marriages (three of which were bigamous) and an investigation by the FBI. "I was captivated from start to finish by this utterly mad, and wholly delightful story of chicanery and fantasy, and which involves a man who relentlessly duped our most cherished institutions of godly pursuit and higher learning. Plus I learned how to defrock a priest, always good to have on hand in these troubling times." —Simon Winchester, author of The Perfectionists
Download or read book The Rough Guide to Beijing written by Simon Lewis and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2011-06-01 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Rough Guide to Beijing is the ultimate insider's guide to China's fascinating capital. With the extravagant 2008 Olympics having served as its coming out party, the city has matured; as well as fantastic historic sites that testify to its thousands of years at the heart of the Chinese empire, the city now offers world beating hotels, super-fashionable restaurants and the coolest clubs. All the major and off beat sights are covered, from the avant garde architectural projects such as the new CCTV Tower, to hip bar district Nanluogu Xiang, and the achingly cool arts districts of 798 and Caochangdi. Brushing aside the hype, the guide also reveals the best places to try every kind of cuisine, including, of course, Beijing duck, and the best places to stay, from charming youth hostels tucked down alleyways and courtyard boutique hotels to the most luxurious business behemoths. When the pace of the city gets too frenetic, there's all you need to know for great daytrips, from the magnificent temples of Chengde to the grandest and most secluded stretches of the Great Wall.Easy to read maps are provided throughout the guide, plus there's a handy colour subway map, and the pinyin and Chinese characters are given for all destinations.
Download or read book Overbooked written by Elizabeth Becker and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2016-02-23 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Travel is no longer a past-time but a colossal industry, arguably one of the biggest in the world and second only to oil in importance for many poor countries. One out of 12 people in the world are employed by the tourism industry which contributes $6.5 trillion to the world's economy. To investigate the size and effect of this new industry, Elizabeth Becker traveled the globe. She speaks to the Minister of Tourism of Zambia who thinks licensing foreigners to kill wild animals is a good way to make money and then to a Zambian travel guide who takes her to see the rare endangered sable antelope. She travels to Venice where community groups are fighting to stop the tourism industry from pushing them out of their homes, to France where officials have made tourism their number one industry to save their cultural heritage; and on cruises speaking to waiters who earn $60 a month--then on to Miami to interview their CEO. Becker's sharp depiction reveals travel as a product; nations as stewards. Seeing the tourism industry from the inside out, the world offers a dizzying range of travel options but very few quiet getaways"--
Download or read book Interracial Lovers in Revolutionary China written by D. E. Mungello and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2023-07-14 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the twentieth century, China underwent a monumental dynastic change and was transformed from an outmoded monarchy into a modern communist state. This century of revolutionary change was marked by political upheaval and social chaos. It was a period in which Chinese began to go abroad to study and conduct business while foreigners came to China for economic opportunity and adventure. In the process, Chinese and foreigners began to meet and form romantic relationships. These love affairs (fengliu yunshi 風流韻事) are notable because they coincided with the last phase of Western imperialism, including its lingering racial prejudices and even laws against interracial sexual relationships. Conversely in China, there were periodic outbreaks of hostility and violence against foreigners. This book explores the interracial relationships of twenty-two people who, transcended these obstacles to cross color lines and fall in love.
Download or read book Fake written by Dónal O’Sullivan and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2023-10-02 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout history, forgers have attempted to fabricate documents to manipulate the historical record. The book explores the most egregious cases--their intent, effectiveness, exposure and significance--from the Donation of Constantine to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion to the Hitler Diaries. Ironically, forgeries have helped advance the discipline of history. Case studies trace how scholars worked to reveal the truth behind bogus manuscripts while developing new tools and standards for accuracy and authenticity. In the age of "fake news" and digital editing software, the spectacular history of fraud in print has never been more relevant.
Download or read book China written by David Leffman and published by Rough Guides. This book was released on 2003 with total page 1346 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the definitive guide to Asia's most compelling destination. It provides coverage of every corner of the country, from Buddhist mountain temples to the vibrant cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Download or read book Destination Peking written by Paul French and published by . This book was released on 2021-06-07 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bestselling author Paul French (Midnight in Peking) returns to China's capital to tell 18 true stories of fascinating people - many Americans among them - who visited the city in the first half of the 20th century. From wealthy Woolworths heiress Barbara Hutton to the poor Mona Monteith, who worked as a prostitute; from socialite Wallis Simpson to the 1930s 'It' couple Edgar and Helen Foster Snow; Destination Peking brings a lost pre-communist era back to life.
Download or read book China written by Damian Harper and published by SIU Press. This book was released on with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Search for a Vanishing Beijing written by M.A. Aldrich and published by Hong Kong University Press. This book was released on 2008-03-01 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Search for a Vanishing Beijing weaves the genres of travel essays and travel guides into a comprehensive narrative about the cultural mosaic of the capital of China.
Download or read book Empires of the Mind written by Rodney Koeneke and published by Stanford University Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Empires of the Mind is the first study to examine British literary critic I.A. Richards's effort to foster world peace by promoting an 850-word version of "global" English in China.
Download or read book The Last Empress written by Anchee Min and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2011-12-01 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Vivid and entertaining ... this is history as it plays upon the emotions. Empires crumble, hearts are broken' THE TIMES From the bestselling author of Red Azalea comes the much-anticipated sequel to Empress Orchid At the end of the nineteenth century China is rocked by foreign attacks and local rebellions. The only constant is the power wielded by one woman, Tzu Hsi, also known as Empress Orchid, who must face the perilous condition of her empire and devastating personal losses. In this sequel to the bestselling Empress Orchid, Anchee Min brings to life one of the most important figures in Chinese history, a very human leader who sacrifices all she has to protect both those she loves and her doomed empire.
Download or read book The Shortest History of China From the Ancient Dynasties to a Modern Superpower A Retelling for Our Times Shortest History written by Linda Jaivin and published by The Experiment, LLC. This book was released on 2021-09-28 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Journey across epic China—through millennia of early innovation to modern dominance. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read. As we enter the “Asian century,” China demands our attention for being an economic powerhouse, a beacon of rapid modernization, and an assertive geopolitical player. To understand the nation behind the headlines, we must take in its vibrant, tumultuous past—a story of “larger-than-life characters, philosophical arguments and political intrigues, military conflicts and social upheavals, artistic invention and technological innovation.” The Shortest History of China charts a path from China’s tribal origins through its storied imperial era and up to the modern Communist Party under Xi Jinping—including the rarely told story of women in China and the specters of corruption and disunity that continue to haunt the People’s Republic today. A master storyteller and exacting historian, Linda Jaivin distills this vast history into a short, riveting account that today’s globally minded readers will find indispensable.
