The Judge Dee Novels of R.H. Van Gulik: The Case of the Chinese Detective and the American Reader - Softcover

Van Dover, J.K.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0786496215 ISBN 13: 9780786496211

Publisher: McFarland & Co, 2015

Synopsis

From 1949 to 1968 author Robert van Gulick wrote 15 novels, two novellas and eight short stories featuring Judge Dee, a Chinese magistrate and detective from the Tang dynasty. In addition to providing the setting for riveting mysteries, Dee's world highlighted aspects of traditional Chinese culture through his personal relationships with his wives, his lieutenants and the citizens he served with dedication on the emperor's behalf.

This book gives a synopsis of each Judge Dee story, along with commentary on plots, characters, themes and historical details. Exploring van Gulik's influence on Chinese and Western detective fiction and on the image of China in popular 20th century American literature, this study brings to light a significant contributor to the development of detective fiction.

About this title

About the Author

J.K. Van Dover taught in the English Department of Lincoln University for 38 years; he has also taught as a Fulbright Professor of American Literature in Germany, China, Austria, and Slovakia. He has published extensively on detective fiction.

Edition details

• Publisher: McFarland & Co
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0786496215
• ISBN 13: 9780786496211
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 264