Boxer Rebellion: The Dramatic Story of China's War on Foreigners that Shook the World in the Summ er of 1900

Diana Preston's "The Boxer Rebellion" is an admirable mix of first-rate historical research told with vivid journalistic flair and literary grace approaching that of a fine novel. Much to her credit, she points out various inconsistencies in the accounts written by besieged Westerners in Peking and Tientsin and notes the paucity of first-hand reports from Manchu Dynasty officials and educated Chinese. Hence, her book recounts the events of the Boxer Rebellion almost exclusively from a Western perspective. Despite this major shortcoming, she does a splendid job describing the trials and tribulations faced by those trapped in the besieged Foreign legations and Peitang Cathedral in Peking, and the two military relief expeditions sent from Tientsin. To her credit, she draws some interesting parallels between the conduct of the Western military force with those at the turn of the 20th Century, in places such as Eastern Europe and Kuwait. She clearly lays the blame for the siege at the hands of both Manchu Dynasty officials and Western diplomats, pointing out their pompous, arrogant behavior towards each other. She also describes in bitter detail the subsequent looting of Peking by the second military relief expedition. At the very end, she notes how influential Chinese politicians such as Sun Yat-Sen and Communist Chinese officials have favorably viewed the Boxers and their anti-foreign sentiments. This is certainly one of the finest books I have read on this important episode in the early history of modern China.

Diane Preston has written a fantastic historical account of an incident that receives little attention but, had far reaching implications in the development of further conflicts of the 20th century. The sequential development of events is smooth and takes the reader from one scene to another, as the reader watches the entire event unfold and climax to it's final desperate moments. The diary excerpts of those who lived in the legations under siege, and in the missions and outlying areas adds to the excitement of the text. Diane's vivid descriptions of the atrocities committed will surprise many readers, as will the heart rending accounts of those who witnessed them. From a historical point of view, Diane Preston has done her homework.

I found this an excellent general history on the Boxer Rebellion. It covered the subject clearly and concisely, and did not patronize the Chinese point of view in this unfortunate and easy to have averted conflict. The book also satisfied one of my requirements: there were several, extremely helpful maps, which made understanding places and situations even easier. The story is told in a breezy style that kept my interest, which is important in a history book, since you already know the outcome.

What a fabulous year for lovers of well-written prose! Jacques Barzun's magnificent Dawn to Decadence. Diana Muir's surprising and wonderful Bullough's Pond and now Preston gives us the Boxer rebellion. If William Manchester would bring out the new volume of the Churchill biography I think that I could die a happy man. To get back on topic, do not read this book unless, of course, you enjoy good narrative history, well-researched and presented in a prose style that could put most novelists now living to shame. Speaking of which, when did we cease to recognize that well written history is a high literary art? This is both, good history and good writng - and a ripping good yarn.