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I enjoyed reading this book though I had strong reservations about the author's impartiality. What I came to think of as "women's boosterism" seemed to motivate much of her commentary on Cixi, whom she hails as a modernizer who has never been given her due. Since I'm not well versed in the history of China during this period, I can't say how valid Chang's views are, but there's little doubt that she got carried away in her role of chief Cixi apologist and defender.
The book also suffered from sw ...more
The book also suffered from sw ...more

This book took a very long time to read, but was quite interesting. As with any women's history, it is very hard to know where the truth lies. Definitely not with the "fact" as displayed by history in the last hundred years, but probably not quite as rosy as this book portrays, either. The truth is probably somewhere in between.
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Apr 13, 2020
Erica
added it
Still need to finish this--good, thorough.


Oct 28, 2013
Nanosynergy
marked it as to-read

Apr 04, 2014
Ching-In
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Dec 03, 2014
grace
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Jan 23, 2015
Erica
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Oct 24, 2015
Katy
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May 02, 2017
Terri
marked it as to-buy

Oct 09, 2017
Juliana Philippa
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Sep 21, 2018
m
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Dec 07, 2018
Phoebe
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Jun 07, 2019
Rachel
is currently reading it

Jul 19, 2019
Deborah
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Dec 28, 2020
Tania
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