War and Revolution in China, as seen by one family's experiences during the period from the 1880s to the 1920s, based on surviving accounts from friends and family, and limited amount of documentation. I thought the first 3/5 of the book was superb in evoking the times surrounding the first revolution, and how it affected far-off Sichuan; that, and discussing the impact foreign nations were having on China. Where the book falls down is the last 2/5, which involves the personal memoirs of the author. The author, as a child, must have been enormously difficult to deal with (not that the mother was any prize), and the near total lack of sympathy one has for the author dents things. Hard to say whether I recommend this. ( )

A very interesting history of China from the 1800's to 1928. It is not a narrative history but is instead the history of China told through one families experiences. It starts off giving the background to her family in Szechwan Province and how they came to be by 1885. It then uses their family story to explain the issues facing China and how they tried to solve them and the effects of that change. Including her Father going to Belgium to learn about railway engineering and his marrying a White Belgian women. The last third is more of a memoir of the Author growing up Eurasian in China. Worth the read and very educational. ( )

intersting history of china. so much war and poverty. her story of her chinese childhood was less interesting. ( )

This is the first of four of a series of autobiographical writings about China from just before she was born in 1917, to 1948 for the third one. I found all of them to be extremely engrossing and would like to read them again, along with any other writings be her. She wrote a lot about the racism of the Belgium and other Europeans against the Chinese in China, where Chinese were paid least. She was paid more when she worked because she was half European. She also wrote about Chiang Kaishek (spelling is different now) and Mao tse tung (also different now). ( )

A 20th century history of China through the personal account of the life of a medical doctor turned author.