I previously read the book on the Qing Dynasty in this series, and I much prefer this one. The Qing one is extremely dry by comparison. I especially love the second half of the book, which focuses on beliefs, objects, and the South China Sea. But I also love the introduction, which discusses historical records of dragon sightings, and how to approach them as a person studying history.

Timothy Brook also wrote a book about "lingchi", translated into English as "death by a thousand cuts", and it's a study of Western perceptions of cruelty in Chinese culture. Definitely gonna have to move that higher on my to-read list, considering the merits of this book. ( )