The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story Of The Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked The Mysteries Of The Middle Kingdom (2008) - Plot & Excerpts
I found this to be endlessly fascinating, namely because I can't remember ever hearing his name during my undergraduate degree on Chinese culture. He did an immeasurable amount of work exposing Chinese innovation and culture to the Western world, research comparable to (and more complex than, if this English major may suggest) the Webster dictionary. How did I not know about him before?! Why are his books so hard to get a hold of now?! I suspect it has to do with his political leanings (which, I admit, endeared him to me in a way) and the current state of China, but really, I don't know. I'm definitely left with many unanswered questions. In any case, I am glad to know more about him, and hope to read some of his work soon! I have read three or four other books by Simon Winchester, plus I am a bit of a nut about China—in that I can't figure out exactly how it functions and will continue to function, so I thought well here is another interesting tale. I think Needham was an interesting and odd character and his adventures in China that led to his massive literary undertaking are fascinating, but overall, I found this book kind of ho hum.
What do You think about The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story Of The Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked The Mysteries Of The Middle Kingdom (2008)?
Lively descriptions of people and places bring this era into the present for modern readers.
—Krazylobster69
Interesting but wordy. It dragged a bit at times.
—tugcenur
Very interesting read about very interesting man.
—SnoWolf79
