The Mirror of Kong Ho [Paperback]

Ernest Bramah (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 8, 2009

Ernest Bramah (1868-1942) was an English author. Bramah published 21 books and numerous short stories. His humorous works were ranked with Jerome K Jerome, and W. W. Jacobs; his detective stories with Conan Doyle; his politico-science fiction with H. G. Wells. Bramah was a recluse who refused to allow his public even the slightest glimpse of his private life. We now know that Bramah, real name was Smith. He was a man of erudition and prescience with a unique style of writing that has never been copied. His most famous works are: Four Max Carrados Detective Stories (1914), Kai Lung's Golden Hours (1922), The Mirror of Kong Ho (1905) and The Wallet of Kai Lung (1900). The charming character Kai Lung appears in Kai Lung Unrolls His Mat, Kai Lung's Golden Hours, The Wallet of Kai Lung, Kai Lung Beneath the Mulberry Tree, The Mirror of Kong Ho, and The Moon of Much Gladness. Kai Lung is a man of very simple motivations he needs only enough tales to keep himself fed and a bed for the night. The introduction states that this book is, " A lively and amusing collection of letters on western living written by Kong Ho, a Chinese gentleman. These addressed to his homeland, refer to the Westerners in London as barbarians and many of the aids to life in our society give Kong Ho endless food for thought. These are things such as the motor car and the piano; unknown in China at this time."

Editorial Reviews

Review

Ernest Bramah, of whom in his lifetime Who's Who had so little to say, was born in Manchester. At seventeen he chose farming as a profession, but after three years of losing money gave it up to go into journalism. He started as correspondent on a typical provincial paper, then went to London as secretary to Jerome K. Jerome, and worked himself into the editorial side of Jerome's magazine, To-day, where he got the opportunity of meeting the most important literary figures of the day. But he soon left To-day to join a new publishing firm, as editor of a publication called The Minister; finally, after two years of this, he turned to writing as his full-time occupation. He was intensely interested in coins and published a book on the English regal copper coinage. He is, however, best known as the creator of the charming character Kai Lung who appears in Kai Lung Unrolls His Mat, Kai Lung's Golden Hours, The Wallet of Kai Lung, Kai Lung Beneath the Mulberry Tree, The Mirror of Kong Ho, and The Moon of Much Gladness; he also wrote two one- act plays which are often performed at London variety theatres, and many stories and articles in leading periodicals. He died in 1942. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 146 pages
• Publisher: Book Jungle (October 8, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1438527497
• ISBN-13: 978-1438527499
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The master, February 23, 2008

By 

James A. Root "tool fool" (Taos, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Mirror of Kong Ho (Paperback)

If you love words, a great tale, a spinner of fable and fantasy, a literate charmer. Here's your man. Earnest Bramah has captivated me for fifty years, with no end in sight. I swoon each time I read one of his tales, or as he puts it: "Kai Lung unrolling his mat", so that he can commence telling his tale.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mirror of Kong Ho, November 8, 2010

By 

Orinoco - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Mirror of Kong Ho (Paperback)

A delight of a book. Kong Ho is a naive (fictional) young chinaman whose interpretation of early twentieth century English life is an utterly delightful.