| Edition |
First edition. |
| Description |
319 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 22 cm |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Summary |
"In 1872, the Qing empire sent 120 boys to America in the hope that they would unlock the mysteries of Western innovation. They studied at New England's finest schools, befriended luminaries such as Mark Twain and Ulysses S. Grant, and exchanged ideas with their American peers that would change the course of both nations. But when anti-Chinese fervor forced them back home, the young men faced a new set of obstacles, having to overcome a suspicious imperial court and a culture deeply resistant to change. Filled with colorful characters and vivid historical detail, Fortunate sons unearths the dramatic stories of these young men who led China at the pivotal moment when it teetered between modernity and tradition. Faced with Japanese aggression and Western colonialism on the one hand and domestic unrest and rebellion on the other, these American-educated men helped to shape China's economy, diplomacy, and government, relying on one another as they struggled to bring peace and progress to a crumbling empire. Liel Leibovitz and Matthew Miller draw on diaries, letters and other first-person accounts to tell this remarkable tale, weaving together the dramas of personal lives with the fascinating story of a nation's endeavor to become a world power. Shedding light on a crucial period in Chinese and American history, Fortunate sons provides insight into the issues concerning both nations today, from China's struggle toward economic supremacy to its fraught relationship with the United States. -- Jacket. |
| Subject |
China -- History -- 1861-1912.
|
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China -- History -- Reform movement, 1898.
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China -- Politics and government -- 19th century.
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China -- Education -- 19th century.
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Chinese Educational Commission -- History.
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Chinese students -- United States -- History -- 19th century.
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Yung, Wing, 1828-1912.
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| Added Author |
Miller, Matthew I., 1979-
|
| ISBN |
9780393070040 hardcover $26.95 |
|
0393070042 hardcover |
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