One of the most lively and readable history books I have read to date. Drawing from dozens of first-hand sources, and many unpublished papers, Hibbert details the contact between China and England (other countries' stories are told too, but only in passing). From Lord Macartney's first meeting with emperor Chi-en-lung to open trade between the two countries, from the Opium War to the Boxer rebellion and the rise of Sun Yat-sen, Hibbert's book uses quote after quote to demonstrate the appalling gall and presumption of the plenipotentiaries of both nations. The Chinese, nationalistic and ignorant, were utterly purblind to the actual superiority of English power, while the official English reaction to wars with China was always to conquer more, not to attempt any comity. I had to admire the Chinese for adapting so rapidly, from fighting the English with gingalls to overcoming massive internal resistance and modernizing to meet the challenges of the West. A great book, with many vivid passages and anecdotes.
