THE MAN WHO LOVED CHINA

Simon Winchester's arch and clearly British inflection provides the perfect contextual narration for the true story of Joseph Needham, a British scientist who made his life work the study of China. Winchester’s style can seem plodding and didactic to those looking for something faster paced and dramatic. The complexity of Chinese civilization, in contrast to the blatant Orientalism of the Far East by Europe, is one of the many dense themes he tackles as both writer and narrator. The movement among the three main elements of the book, from the historical information on ancient China, to the biographical events of Needham's life, and the events that led to his production of 17 volumes on Chinese society, is capably, if unimaginatively, handled by Winchester. M.R. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2008]