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Book by Bloodworth, Dennis
412 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1966
4 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Dennis Bloodworth
18 books3 followersDennis Bloodworth was a veteran journalist and writer who wrote extensively on the political developments in Southeast Asia and China.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 31, 2010
VERY insightful and comprehensive treatment of the entire history of the Chinese civilization.
December 25, 2018
I started reading this because I wanted a different perspective on what I'd learned about China than what I'd been taught at university. Dennis Bloodworth, an Australian man with a Chinese wife, was living with his new Chinese family in a time when it wasn't as fashionable for people to learn Chinese language or go to China for business. This is the perspective of a man well educated in Western Culture and Chinese culture, who has neither approached the topic because of the "mystique of the Orient," or to take advantage of the China boom. When I read it, I felt like it was the observations of a person caught between cultures, and it made for an very interesting read.
The book is old, and the author may have more experience about particular regions of China than the whole, but there are some insightful ideas about the nature of China's philosophical systems and regions, and how they effect society.
I showed it to my grandfather, and since he used to be a foreign corresponded for the ABC, he told me that he used to know Dennis Bloodworth as a fellow journalist. He found it an interesting read because it reflects the kind of things that the "China Hands" of that period were talking about.
The book is old, and the author may have more experience about particular regions of China than the whole, but there are some insightful ideas about the nature of China's philosophical systems and regions, and how they effect society.
I showed it to my grandfather, and since he used to be a foreign corresponded for the ABC, he told me that he used to know Dennis Bloodworth as a fellow journalist. He found it an interesting read because it reflects the kind of things that the "China Hands" of that period were talking about.
October 18, 2018
I first read this book in 1974, after purchasing it in Taiwan. I started it again recently. It provides a very level-headed look at the Chinese culture. Bloodworth, a Brit, was married to a Chinese woman and had adopted a couple of Chinese children. He came to the project in order to explain to the rest of us the reasons that the Chinese think the way they do.
He says that he was not writing for the China scholar or expert, but he may as well have. It is well researched. He was being far too humble. The difference is that it is very readable, unlike a lot of "scholarly" writings. He starts about 6 centuries BCE, and explains the roles of Confucius, Lao-tzu (and Taoism), the Manchu decadence (so disliked by the West), and many other influences in creating the Chinese character as we know it today, and our reactions to them. It has stood the test of time. The book is nearly 50 years old, but that is a small time period when speaking of Chinese history and culture.
He says that he was not writing for the China scholar or expert, but he may as well have. It is well researched. He was being far too humble. The difference is that it is very readable, unlike a lot of "scholarly" writings. He starts about 6 centuries BCE, and explains the roles of Confucius, Lao-tzu (and Taoism), the Manchu decadence (so disliked by the West), and many other influences in creating the Chinese character as we know it today, and our reactions to them. It has stood the test of time. The book is nearly 50 years old, but that is a small time period when speaking of Chinese history and culture.
August 26, 2012
This was one of the first books I read on Chinese perspectives from a non-Asian point of view. Consider the fact that this book was written in the mid 1960s, Dennis Bloodworth's book is a very insightful, fun and honest assessment of the Chinese mindset. The book is still relevant to this day, and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys learning about cultural idiosyncracies and history.
January 2, 2025
I found the book interesting and informative. The book starts out informing the reader of the Chinese mentality thousands of years ago. I guess you might say the author is giving you an insight on why the Chinese are the way they are. This was written back in the 1960s, but the historical content is quite relevant to what I was taught in my Chinese history classes at the University of Minnesota. Getting through the middle of the book was tedious at times because the author talks about things that happened 2,000 years ago. He wants you to understand how and why the Chinese do what they do. Also, the facts concerning the Chinese people being so advanced compared to the Europeans at that time in history helps the reader to more fully understand what he is trying to explain.
About the last ten chapters of the book goes into the modern period of the Manchu (1900s) to Mao. I found this period to be more relevant to my perspective on recent history. I only gave it three stars because some parts of the book were overly informative especially the beginning through the middle. I found it was like reading a text book rather than a novel.
About the last ten chapters of the book goes into the modern period of the Manchu (1900s) to Mao. I found this period to be more relevant to my perspective on recent history. I only gave it three stars because some parts of the book were overly informative especially the beginning through the middle. I found it was like reading a text book rather than a novel.
May 17, 2019
Informally informative!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews