Diana Preston: A brief history of the Boxer rebellion

By MARGIE THOMSON

In the humid summer of 1900 an obscure sect that foreigners named the Boxers (because of the ritualistic martial arts they practised) erupted in rebellion against foreign intrusion and dominance of China.

In the ensuing months, tens of thousands died, many gruesomely and tortuously, and 900 diverse foreigners from 18 nations were besieged in Peking, many dying and others planning to shoot their wives and children and then themselves should the Boxers break through their defences.

It was a series of brutal events that eventually led to the fall of the Manchu dynasty, Preston writes, and even has resonances today in the way China is viewed by the international community. This is a fascinating reconstruction of events. She never hesitates to dwell on the little details of human behaviour that speak large truths, and this can be either delightful or macabre.

Constable & Robinson

$32.95