Two-Gun Cohen

First of all, I should say that my primary reason for reading this book was not because of some particular interest in the story of Two-Gun Cohen. My first attraction to this book grew from my interest in the history of China, and particularly modern China, which I date from the Macartney's mission in 1783. This book did not disappoint. It is a very useful addition to the study of China in the period from the 1911 revolution through the Communist revolution of 1949 and beyond. It gives very little insight into the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), but there is lots of stuff written on that period. I have not read anything else by this author, so I cannot make comparisons to his other work, but I will say one thing: I like a guy who does his homework. This book is nothing if not well researched. That is, in fact, it's main strength. I used to be a country school teacher-believe me, I have heard every excuse in the book for why the homework wasn't done. And I have become weary in recent years of "historians" who pretend to be writing history, but in fact have no interest in what actually happened. Ever go to a library and try to get Gore Vidal's "Lincoln?" It's in the fiction section. Or how about Oliver Stone, who openly admits (without any sense of shame) that he plays loose with the facts? That kind of stuff sells to a nation of people who are products of the American public school system. But for those who really care about what actually happened, a higher standard must prevail. Daniel Levy holds to that standard, and even helps to establish it, because his careful workmanship serves as an example to those who would address the same period. Bottom line: this is just very good history. Now to the story. This book addresses the question of who Cohen is in comparison with how he presented himself, or allowed himself to be presented. Cohen was not the "mover and shaker" that he is sometimes said to be. But he was not just a worthless pretender, either. As I see it, Cohen distinguished himself in two areas: He was a very good body guard for Sun Yat Sen, and he also had the dubious distinction of being a first rate gun runner. Other than that, he doesn't seem to have been able to get by without some kind of a hustle. He started life as a petty crook, and this set a pattern that really prevented him from having dependable, gainful employment when the chips were down. I don't mean that he could never get away from the life of crime. What I mean is that, because he took the easy way out as a youth, he never took the time to learn a trade. I always encourage young people to develop a marketable skill that they can fall back on if they ever need to. This is something Cohen never did, and there was a time in his later life when it really would have come in handy. While Sun Yat Sen was alive, Cohen was riding high. But after he died, and especially after World War II, Cohen suffered a long period of marginal or nonexistent em

I long ago heard of Two-Gun Cohen, and was pleased when I found out that there was finally a biography of him. Daniel Levy has crafted a clear, well written account of Cohen and taken the time to delve deeply into his life. I was amazed at what Levy uncovered, from Cohen's World War I medical files (I am surprised that such material still survives), to the dossiers the State Department kept on him and the depositions chronicling Cohen's various court visits. More importantly, Levy obviously took pains to get Cohen's life right and to track down those who knew him well. For by going through his encyclopedic footnotes and seeing all the people he spoke to, one realizes that if Levy solely relied on the cold documentary history of records and newspaper clips, Cohen would have come across as a less interesting and much rougher character. What Levy has presented us with is a well-rounded view of this adventurer, and written a riveting and graceful history of an amazing man.

Levy does a remarkable job of telling the story of Two-Gun Cohen, from his humble roots as an immigrant Jewish youth in London to his early days in Canada to his glory days in China as a bodyguard for Sun Yat-Sen. It is the remarkable tale of a self-made man that reads in large part like a "boy's adventure" story of the mid-1900s -- except that the whole thing is true. Some may take issue with Levy's debunking the many myths that Cohen erected around his life, but such scholarship does noting to diminish the character, charm and accomplishments of the man.

I have just had the opportunity to read the customer review posted by Michael Alderton regarding this very fine biography. I am not even sure if we have read the same book. I found " Two-Gun Cohen" a fascinating and illuminating account of both the life of a man and one of the major historical events of the 20th Century. I have bought this book for friends, family and associates who have likewise found it quite engaging and informative. I must in fairness say that I know the author, Daniel Levy. The idea that the author, in Michael Alderton's words, is "incredibly superficial", unfairly objective", and "ill-informed" makes me feel that either Michael Alderton as an ax to grind or some other hidden agenda. Daniel is a Senior Reporter at Time magazine, where he is highly regarded for his talent and objectiveity. I know the meticulous and conscientious methods used by him while writing "Two-Gun Cohen". Over a period of four years Daniel circled the world twice in order to retrace all of Cohen's steps. He interviewed a vast number of people who knew Cohen-including those who had never spoken on the record about their relaitonship with him-and triple checked all his sources. Maybe P. T. Barnum had it right when he noted that people are easily duped. Cohen, who spent time in a side show, obviously relied on this for there is no denying that the tall-tale telling Cohen was quite a charmer. And while Mr. ALderton seems to have trouble separating the real Cohen from the myth,the rest of us thankfully have Daniel Levy's engroosing biography in order to understand the true nature of Two-Gun Cohen.

I have known of Two Gun Cohen for years but assumed it would now be impossible to find out further details of his life. But Daniel Levy has done an incredible job of research and in bringing Cohen to life as he really was. As Cohen tended to brag or obscure a bit it cannot have been easy to find the real man. Cohen's life seems to prove that life really can be stranger than fiction. But for anyone interested in China and true adventure, this is the book. Dean Barrett (author: Hangman's Point)