The Opium War

The book sets out the origins and aftermath of the Opium Wars. It recounts how Britain went to war with China in October 1839, the first of those conflicts, a struggle that, for all its brutality, also involved farce: Victorian-era hypocrisy, blundering officials, military mistakes, political opportunism and collaboration. According to the book, that history has become the founding episode of modern Chinese nationalism. The author examines national myths, how public memory serves the present, and the prejudice and delusion shaping China's dealings with the modern West.

Why You Should Read?

• Follow the book's account of Britain entering its first Opium War with China in October 1839.
• Discover the Victorian-era hypocrisy, official bungling, military errors, political opportunism and collaboration the book finds in the conflict.
• Understand how, in the book's account, public memory of the Opium War is used to serve present needs.
• Explore how China's national myths shape its dealings with the outside world, according to the book.

About the Author

Julia Lovell is a British scholar, author and translator born in 1975. She teaches modern Chinese history at Birkbeck College, University of London, and is professor of Modern Chinese History and Literature there. Her non-fiction books focus on China, including The Opium War: Drugs, Drama And The Making Of China. Her works on the Opium Wars and Maoism were widely reviewed. Her translations include Lu Xun's The Real Story of Ah-Q, and Other Tales of China, and works by Han Shaogong, Eileen Chang and others.