China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors [Hardcover]

Frances Wood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 10, 2008

Unifier or destroyer, law-maker or tyrant? China’s First Emperor (258-210 BC) has been the subject of debate for over 2,000 years. He gave us the name by which China is known in the West and, by his unification or elimination of six states, he created imperial China. He stressed the rule of law but suppressed all opposition, burning books and burying scholars alive. His military achievements are reflected in the astonishing terracotta soldiers—a veritable buried army—that surround his tomb, and his Great Wall still fascinates the world.

Despite his achievements, however, the First Emperor has been vilified since his death. This book describes his life and times and reflects the historical arguments over the real founder of China and one of the most important men in Chinese history.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This is the first biography of the first emperor of China, Qin Shihuangi. Westerners were largely ignorant of this enigmatic man until the discovery of thousands of terra-cotta and bronze soldiers, administrators, and animals, which were excavated in 1974 adjacent to his tomb. The discovery sparked foreign interest in Qin Shihuangi’s life and reign, and the publication of this biography coincides with the first American exhibition of the terra-cotta figures. Wood, head of the Chinese department at the British Library, reveals the emperor as a rather terrifying figure who willingly caused the deaths of tens of thousands of his subjects in pursuit of his projects, including starting the Great Wall and enforcing political and cultural unity. He combined cunning, ruthlessness, and military skill to unite a vast territory under his control. Yet he was undeniably a brilliant innovator and an effective ruler worthy of a prominent place in Chinese and world history, as this interesting and informative work illustrates. --Jay Freeman

Review

Praise for China's First Emporer and His Terracotta Warriors

‘Wood’s book is a readable introduction to a ruler who has been hailed both as his country’s founding father and vilified as a ruthless tyrant.’ – Sunday Times

‘Fascinating book’ – Mail on Sunday

‘great knowledge, lightly worn.’ Literary Review

‘wry, concise and authoritative.’ Times Literary Supplement

‘timely, and as sensible as it is concise.’ The Independent

‘Frances Wood presents a different portrait China's First Emporer, offering good reasons why myths of cruelty and megalomania should not be entirely believed.’ Metro

‘Essential reading and a colourful insight into a world in the making.’ – The Good Book Guide

‘a timely digest of English-language scholarship on the subject.’ – The Times

‘Wood’s thorough analysis of the history is heightened by sensuous descriptions that, along with poems, recipes and other quirky details, provide a vivid evocation of life in this period.’ - Waterstones’ Books Quarterly

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“Wonderfully lucid.”— Economist (UK)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (June 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312381123
• ISBN-13: 978-0312381127
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #570,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Place to Start, February 5, 2009

By 

Loves the View "Louise" (Hawaii) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors (Hardcover)

If you want to learn about Chinese history here is a short easy way to start. You won't learn much about the Terra Cotta Warriors as promised in the subtitle, but the essentials about the First Emperor are here.

There is an overview of his rise to power, his achievements and the modern interpretations of his legacy. Issues, such as Confucianism vs. Daoism, wall building and did he or didn't he burn books are discussed.

There are lots of illustrations. They are placed alongside of the material they illuminate.

The last chapter about how the symbolism of the First Emperor figures in more recent Chinese politics is interesting, but doesn't quite fit. It seems as though it was an essay used for some other purpose edited to fit this one.

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite a good book, but not about the terracotta warriors, February 23, 2011

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors (Hardcover)

This small book is on the subject of China's first emperor - Qin Shi Huangdi (259 BC-210 BC). Not a great deal is truly known about the First Emperor, so the author goes through each subject, examining what is "known" about him, placing it in context to give the reader the most accurate portrait of the man possible.

Overall, I must say that I found this to be quite a good book. I thought that the author did a great job of presenting the First Emperor as a real man, and more importantly a real Chinese person. Also, I thought that the comparison of the First Emperor and Mao Zedong to be very thought provoking and enlightening.

Admittedly, it is unfortunate that it was decided to title the book the way it is, suggesting that the terracotta warriors are covered in-depth in this book. In fact, the warriors, though discussed are only covered in the section on the Emperor's burial - they are not a major subject within the book.

So, if you are looking for an in-depth book on the terracotta army of Qin Shi Huangdi, then I would not recommend that you buy this book. If, however, you are interested in the First Emperor, then I certainly would recommend this book as a good, short, no-nonsense look at the man. I enjoyed this book, and don't hesitate to recommend it.

4.0 out of 5 stars Very readable, March 7, 2010

By 

Carol Ritter "book club reader" (Pearland, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors (Hardcover)

This book was written by a person very familiar with Chinese lore. It was very interesting and gave me a lot of information about the whys and wherefores of the Terracotta Army.