The Last Emperor

I read this book, the biography of the last Chinese Emperor Pu Yi, before actually watching the famous movie version by Bertolucci, and I am glad that I did.Reading this extraodinary book gives a more detailed and, therefore, in depth understanding and emotional response to the life of Pu Yi than the film. This is perhaps due to the nature of the written word in that the words allow one to use the imagination to conjure up the beautiful descriptions of the Forbidden Palace and the Imperial City and China. It is then fascinating to compare the imaginatory images with Bertolucci's magnificent cinematography of the actual sites and places.Though Pu Yi's life was amazing in its variety, ultimately this book was about the transitoriness of life itself.It has to be read!

This is the book version of the movie "The Last Emperor" by Bertolucci. It is the biography of China's last emperor, Pu Yi. The book, of course, is much more detailed than the movie. It is a very good account of Pu Yi's life and the historical events of his time, based on historical documents as well as the author's interviews with people who knew Pu Yi. This book will leave you with a better understanding not only of Pu Yi, but of Chinese history as well.