Synopses & Reviews
With the beautiful, powerful, and sexy Madame Chiang Kai-Shek at the center of one of the great dramas of the twentieth century, this is the story of the founding of modern China, starting with a revolution that swept away more than 2,000 years of monarchy, followed by World War II, and ending in eventual loss to the Communists and exile in Taipei. Praised by China scholar Jonathan Spence for and#8220;an impressive amount of telling material, drawn from a wide array of sources,and#8221; Pakula presents an epic historical tapestry, a wonderfully wrought narrative that brings to life what Americans should know about Chinaand#8212;the superpower we are inextricably linked with.
Review
"This is a triumph of both research and storytelling. Madame Chiang Kai-shek led an amazing life filled with fascinating people as she helped bring China into the modern age. This brilliant narrative provides a wonderful insight into why China is the way it is today." -- Walter Isaacson, author of Einstein
Review
"Like her imperial predecessor the Dowager Empress, the last ruler of the Manchu dynasty, Soong May-ling came out of nowhere to become role model, figurehead, and power-broker in twentieth-century China. This is rip-roaring true romance told with zip, clarity, and panache." -- Hilary Spurling, author of Matisse the Master
Review
"The Last Empress is the definitive biography of Soong May-ling, who came to fame as Madame Chiang Kai-shek. A rare combination of brilliant writing and insightful scholarship, it captures the complexities of an extraordinary woman in a turbulent time, who influenced the course of China's history in the twentieth century." -- Henry A. Kissinger
Review
“Ms. Pakula writes like a dream, and her narrative is certainly a pleasure to read; anyone who wants to learn about China in the first half of the 20th century will find The Last Empress a good guide.”
--Melanie Kirkpatrick, The Wall Street Journal“Pakula’s biography is often absorbing. Madame Chiang emerges as more than just her husband’s wife; we see a brilliant, scheming, deliberately alluring, brave, corrupt chameleon of a woman. . . . The Last Empress . . . presents Madame Chiang as far more complex, awful and brilliant than we had imagined.”
--Jonathan Mirsky, The New York Times Book Review
“Pakula’s biography is often absorbing. Madame Chiang emerges as more than just her husband’s wife; we see a brilliant, scheming, deliberately alluring, brave, corrupt chameleon of a woman. . . . The Last Empress . . . presents Madame Chiang as far more complex, awful and brilliant than we had imagined.”
--Jonathan Mirsky, The New York Times Book Review
“The tale of Soon May-ling, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek’s American-educated wife, is epic in scope. Hannah Pakula brings vividly to life the tormented odyssey of China during the 20th Century and the enthralling life story of this singular woman in a wonderfully accessible way.”
--Orville Schell, Director of the Center on US-China Relations at the Asia Society“A richly complex account of 20th-century China . . . thoroughly engrossing. . . . A vivid if often unflattering portrait of a charismatic Chinese patriot, her husband and family, in tumultuous and tragic times.”
--Publishers Weekly (starred review)“The Last Empress . . . presents Madame Chiang as far more complex, awful and brilliant than we had imagined.”
--Jonathan Mirsky, The New York Times Book Review
Review
andlt;bandgt;and#8220;Ms. Pakula writes like a dream, and her narrative is certainly a pleasure to read; anyone who wants to learn about China in the first half of the 20th century will find andlt;iandgt;The Last Empress andlt;/iandgt;a good guide.and#8221;andlt;/bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;bandgt; --Melanie Kirkpatrick, andlt;iandgt;The Wall Street Journalandlt;/iandgt;andlt;/bandgt;
Review
andlt;bandgt;and#8220;Pakulaand#8217;s biography is often absorbing. Madame Chiang emerges as more than just her husbandand#8217;s wife; we see a brilliant, scheming, deliberately alluring, brave, corrupt chameleon of a woman. . . . andlt;iandgt;The Last Empress andlt;/iandgt;. . . presents Madame Chiang as far more complex, awful and brilliant than we had imagined.and#8221;andlt;/bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;bandgt; --Jonathan Mirsky, andlt;iandgt;The New York Times Book Reviewandlt;/iandgt;andlt;/bandgt;
Review
andlt;bandgt;and#8220;The tale of Soon May-ling, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shekand#8217;s American-educated wife, is epic in scope. Hannah Pakula brings vividly to life the tormented odyssey of China during the 20th Century and the enthralling life story of this singular woman in a wonderfully accessible way.and#8221;andlt;/bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;bandgt; --Orville Schell, Director of the Center on US-China Relations at the Asia Societyandlt;/bandgt;
Review
andlt;bandgt;and#8220;A richly complex account of 20th-century China . . . thoroughly engrossing. . . . A vivid if often unflattering portrait of a charismatic Chinese patriot, her husband and family, in tumultuous and tragic times.and#8221;andlt;/bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;bandgt; --andlt;iandgt;Publishers Weekly andlt;/iandgt;(starred review)andlt;/bandgt;
Review
andlt;bandgt;and#8220;andlt;iandgt;The Last Empress andlt;/iandgt;. . . presents Madame Chiang as far more complex, awful and brilliant than we had imagined.and#8221;andlt;/bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;bandgt; --Jonathan Mirsky, andlt;iandgt;The New York Times Book Reviewandlt;/iandgt;andlt;/bandgt;
Synopsis
With the beautiful, manipulative, powerful Madame Chiang Kai-Shek at the center, this is the story of the founding of modern China.
Synopsis
With a beautiful, powerful, and sexy Madame Chiang Kai-Shek at the center of one of the great dramas of the twentieth century, this is the story of the founding of modern China.
With the beautiful, powerful, and sexy Madame Chiang Kai-Shek at the center of one of the great dramas of the twentieth century, this is the story of the founding of modern China, starting with a revolution that swept away more than 2,000 years of monarchy, followed by World War II, and ending in eventual loss to the Communists and exile in Taipei. Praised by China scholar Jonathan Spence for "an impressive amount of telling material, drawn from a wide array of sources," Pakula presents an epic historical tapestry, a wonderfully wrought narrative that brings to life what Americans should know about China--the superpower we are inextricably linked with.
About the Author
andlt;Bandgt;Hannah Pakulaandlt;/Bandgt; is the author of andlt;Iandgt;The Last Empressandlt;/Iandgt;, which was a andlt;Iandgt;New York Timesandlt;/Iandgt; notable book, andlt;Iandgt;The Last Romanticandlt;/Iandgt;, which was called by Graham Greene the best biography and one of the three best books of the year, and andlt;Iandgt;An Uncommon Womanandlt;/Iandgt;, which was a andlt;Iandgt;Los Angeles Timesandlt;/Iandgt; Book Award finalist. She lives in New York City.