Eighteen Layers of Hell: Stories from the Chinese Gulag (Global Issues (Asian Studies).) [Paperback]

Kate Saunders (Author), Harry Wu (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0304332976 | ISBN-13: 978-0304332977 | Publication Date: October 1996

Since the foundation of the People's Republic of China in 1949, it is claimed that more than 30 million people have been starved, beaten or tortured to death, "suicided" or executed in Chinese labour camps. This study also claims that millions of people still suffer in the camps today, and that the West participates in the iniquitous system of slave labour, through trading goods produced in the laogai, and dealing in transplant organs from prisoners executed to order. The book tells the story of Harry Wu, a veteran of the laogai, and a vociferous campaigner against the Gulag, who was recently arrested on a research trip to China, and who wrote the foreword to this book. The author, Kate Saunders, is a founder of the Laogai Research Group in the UK, and led the recent campaign for Harry Wu's release from Chinese custody. The book has been published to coincide with her TV documentary on the Chinese labour camps.

Product Details

• Paperback: 254 pages
• Publisher: Cassell (October 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0304332976
• ISBN-13: 978-0304332977
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,164,328 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 fab-u-lous, April 20, 2001

By 

[e-mail] (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eighteen Layers of Hell: Stories from the Chinese Gulag (Global Issues (Asian Studies).) (Paperback)

I have to say that this is a truly fantastic book!

When I first bought it I have to admit I thought It was by the `other' Kate Saunders (the not quite so famous romantic author)-I have to admit I thought it was a funny title for a romance!!- but despite my usual preference for the softer side of life I loved every beautifully crafted word of this.

All I can say is, if this Kate Saunders wrote romantic fiction as well, I would be first in line to buy it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book, March 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Eighteen Layers of Hell: Stories from the Chinese Gulag (Global Issues (Asian Studies).) (Paperback)

At first i did not look forward to reading this book. But i was at work, and that was the only one i had in my pack so i started reading it. I could not put it down, it was interesting and well written. If anyone has an interest in the Gulag system's, i'd recomend reading this one along with the Russian Gulag books to get an idea of how diffent cultures treat their prisoners.