Customer Reviews:
 Excellent Story September 30, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A fantastic story about a man and his passion for life and work and about a country so far ahead yet so far behind. I am no historical buff but this (audio) book made me keep wanting to get into my car so that I could hear more. The storyteller is good to listen to and the images are real.
Superbly rearched and written tribute to a great man September 25, 2008
I read this book cover to cover in one sitting on a long flight to China. The book is well researched, superbly written, and all together a loving tribute to Joseph Needham, who came alive between the covers. Highly recommended to anyone.
China September 20, 2008
Very great read. I could not put it down. It certainly changed my view of Chinese history and innovation.
China and Cambridge September 5, 2008
A very readable and excellently researched and written account of the life, adventures and discoveries of the Cambridge don, Joseph Needham
Fascinating book of captivating man August 30, 2008
This is a fascinating book about a person I had never heard of. Joseph Needham was a brilliant British scientist who made significant contributions to biochemistry while still in his early twenties. He was also a boisterous character -- a nudist, progressive Christian, committed socialist, Morris dancer, fluent in several languages and believer in open marriage. Above all, he was full of energy and intellectual curiosity.
The turning point in Needham's life came when he met a young Chinese scientist, Lu Gwei-djen, in 1938. He not only fell in love with her, although he'd been happily married to a fellow scientist for several years, but made the decision to learn fluent Chinese. Lying in bed together, she was his first teacher. This led Needham to his life's work, the compilation of a huge, multi-volumed work on the history of science in China which transformed the way the world looked at Chinese history and civilization. Incidentally, Needham managed to a sustain loving relationships with both women until the end of their lives, aparently with all three getting along comfortably with each other.
During the Second World War, Needham was sent by the British government to China to formed links with Chinese universities, then under terrible pressure from the invading Japanese, to help them with supplies of books and materials. During his years there, he was able to make several epic journeys, well described by Winchester, penetrating far-flung corners of the huge country, making interesting discoveries along the way.
His massive study, which began appearing in the 1950s. It had grown to 18 volumes by the time Needham died in 1995 and now stands at 24. Needham was the one who informed the world that the Chinese had invented gunpowder, printing and the compass centuries before the West and also blast furnaces, arched bridges, crossbows, vaccination against smallpox, toilet paper, wheelbarrows, stirrups and a thousand other things.
This book is a wonderful window on one of the great minds of the 20th century. For anyone who wants to understand more about China and meet this brilliant and captivating man, I recommend this book.
For more on me and my latest book, The Nazi Hunter: A Novel go to www.alanelsner.com.
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