Soong Dynasty

Soong Dynasty
by Sterling Seagrave

Soong Dynasty
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Book Summary Information

Author: Sterling Seagrave
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1986-03-19
ISBN: 0060913185
Number of pages: 560
Publisher: Harper Perennial

Book Reviews of Soong Dynasty

Book Review: A FEAST FOR THE CHINA READER
Summary: 5 Stars

This book is truly a feast for the reader with an interest in China as it has evolved in the previous century. This is the story of the Soong family and their enormous influence on modern China. The six Soong children, three sons and three daughters, were the offspring of Charlie Soong and Ni-Kwei-tseng. These two Chinese were very religious and God-fearing Christians. Charlie was educated in the US and made his fortune selling Bibles in China. This book tells the story of these children and their almost unbelievable lives. To quote the author "Few families since the Borgias have played such a disturbing role in human destiny". One son, T. V. Soong became perhaps the richest man in history and exerted enormous influence over US foriegn policy towards China. He was also the finance minister of China. Of three Soong sisters, one, Mai-Ling, married Chaing Kai-Chek, another, Ching-Ling, married Sun Yat-sen, and the last, Ai-Ling, married into one of the richest banking families in China. Mai-Ling was educated at Wellesley and was long regarded as one of the ten most influential women in the world. An understatement, if ever there was.

Covers the chaotic years of modern China and the long brutal wars against the Japanese and the savage conflicts between the Nationialists and the Communists. Has a lot of great information on the American involvement here, Stillwell, Claire Chennault (who was almost the only American in China who was not a fool) and the Flying Tigers (the Flying Tigers are venerated in the China of today), Hurley, Morgenthau, Henry and Claire Booth Luce and many, many others. This book is so jam packed with information that it is almost mind boggling. The Green Gangs, Big Eared Tu, a host of warlords, the dreaded gangster Tongs, drug empires, murderers, adventurers, Soldiers of Fortune, prostitutes and thieves. The cast of characters in this book is almost endless, however it all fits together very well and will leave the serious reader a changed person as far as China and our own endlessly bumbling government is concerned. Everything I have read in this books dovetails nicely with the study I have done on China.

The author, Sterling Seagrave, spent most of his life Asia and knows his subject well.

I can only say read this remarkable book. It is an absolute must have for the China history buff and scholar.

Summary of Soong Dynasty

An inside account of the Soong family, whose wealth and power have dominated China and U.S.-Asia policy in the 20th century.

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