The Great Wall: The Extraordinary Story of China's Wonder of the World - Softcover

Man, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0306818396 ISBN 13: 9780306818394

Publisher: Da Capo Press, 2009

Synopsis

It is a wonder of the world. Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists journey to the Great Wall of China, and a myriad of photographs have made it familiar to millions more. Yet its story remains mysterious and steeped in myth. In this riveting account, John Man travels the entire length of the Great Wall and across two millennia to find the truth behind the legend. Along the way, he delves into the remarkable and complex history of Chinafrom the countrys tribal past through its war with the Mongols to its present-day status as a resurgent superpower.

About this title

Review:

Publishers Weekly, 7/7/08
“This engrossing and well-researched history of China’s most famous architectural project whets the reader’s appetite to tread in Man’s footsteps.”Kirkus Reviews
“A learned, lively history of the Great Wall’s evolution that cuts it down to size without diminishing its allure...A shifting, kaleidoscopic portrait—cultural, geopolitical, symbolic—that puts the mighty edifice into perspective...Man presents readers with a Wall for every season, even more awe-inspiring in its workaday clothes than in its romantic garb.”Augusta Metro Spirit
“In a well-crafted narrative blending actual experience with historical data, John Man offers a fascinating view...Man once again breathes fresh life and interest into the old stone fragments that dominate our visions of the past.”Library Journal, 10/01/08
“If you didn't get to China this summer, [this book] will help make up for it...A readable history...[Man] regales us with his adventures traveling along the present-day Great Wall. His tone is knowledgeable, breezy, and sometimes a little breathless as he skillfully debunks what is left of the myths about the wall...Acknowledge[s] and make[s] good use of recent Chinese scholarship...Recommended.”

Book Description:

The extraordinary story of China's wonder of the world

About this edition

• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0306818396
• ISBN 13: 9780306818394
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384