Member: pechmerle

Sure. And we are not talking about a book about someone like you who has far reaching knowledge of China. The best, little book I've read is "China: It's History and Culture" by W. Scott Morton and Charleton M. Lewis, published by McGraw Hill. These authors access the deeper artistic and spiritual levels--far more than required of a skinny introductory book. They were especially good on the period after Three Kingdoms when the Horse people came in waves, bringing with them Buddhism. As far as I'm concerned, 360 to the 580 AD is the most exciting and fertile. What's bothers me is that I cannot find more books on China by these two authors.

And you are missing out mightily in not reading "The Decline and Fall." There are some howlingly good passages about men and war, which seem like obvious truths after Gibbon states his points, but I would not have THUNK them on my own. I read at night, but have a hard time getting to sleep. Maybe because the decline seem especially pertinent to our current situation. We need real uprising with pitchforks, not more blogs. Amen.

posted by belleyang at 5:41 pm (EST) on Mar 29, 2009

Thank you. Glad I asked the question, and thank you for the suggestions. I am several chapters into the abridged Gibbons and find it enthralling. Yes, I am keeping in mind what you said about accuracy.

I know exactly what I'd recommend if someone asked me what he or she should read on Imperial China ;)

Gibbon gets his info from Tacitus, which was largely focused on the decline, lauding the Caledonians for their fighting prowess,courage (what Romans now lacked). Want to know if America is in decline, now that Barbarians like me have settled on the California shore.

posted by belleyang at 4:47 am (EST) on Mar 28, 2009

Thanks. I got the abridged. Any suggestion on Roman history apart from Gibbon?

posted by belleyang at 9:40 pm (EST) on Mar 27, 2009

Thanks, Peche Merle--

I think the battle tactics will be enjoyable to the extent that I've been absorbed in The Art of Warfare and The Three Kingdoms. I want to know how they managed to wind their way to India with 80,000 fighters and 30,000 camp followers. And how did Alexander manage to give clear orders when so many in the ranks were Persians. Translation in the midst of battle sounds like a game of telephone.

Another question: I am gearing myself to read "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire." Complete, not abridged. Do you know which edition will be best for maps and things. There is an antiquarian edition pubbed by Heritage Press, but I think they have beautiful pictures over maps.

Thanks, any suggestion would be helpful.

posted by belleyang at 11:07 pm (EST) on Mar 24, 2009

Just ordered the Green book on Alexander of Macedon. Can't get enough. B

posted by belleyang at 12:54 am (EST) on Mar 24, 2009

Pechie--Does the book you recommend have a lot of material on logistics and how later historians learned about certain battle not in the official history by Arrian (sp)--his expedition record keeper? Alexander is fascinating.

posted by belleyang at 5:26 pm (EST) on Mar 19, 2009

My mom saved all of the crazy names for me. My brother's name is Joshua. I always joke that I will name my children Feburary, March April..., but truth is I'll probably give them normal names.
Thanks for posting a note!

posted by januaryw at 3:16 am (EST) on Nov 7, 2008