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Abstract
A beguiling account of twentieth-century America through the eyes of an outsider, a remarkable inversion of the standard 'Westerner observing the exotic' travel writing formula. Wu Tingfang wrote this book at an intriguing juncture in history - aeroplanes and motion pictures had recently been invented, and while he did not know it, a tremendous cultural shift was about to take place in the West due to the First World War. His observations are enlightening and remain as relevant today as the era in which they were written.
Wu Tingfang (1842-1922) was a Chinese diplomat and politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and briefly as Acting Premier during the early years of the Republic of China.
Jonathan Spence teaches in the field of Chinese history from around 1600 to the present and on Western images of China since the middle ages at Yale University.
A beguiling account of twentieth-century America through the eyes of an outsider, a remarkable inversion of the standard 'Westerner observing the exotic' travel writing formula. Wu Tingfang wrote this book at an intriguing juncture in history - aeroplanes and motion pictures had recently been invented (and his musings on both of these have proven correct) and while he did not know it, a tremendous cultural shift was about to take place in the West due to the First World War. The unassuming and inquisitive diplomat delves into topics such as: immigration; the Arms Race and changes in technology; religion and ethics in the classroom; women's equality; fashion; violence in the theatre; vegetarianism; and cruelty to animals. His observations are enlightening and remain as relevant today as the era in which they were written. In particular, the exploration of the 'American character' and the nation's attitude toward commerce and international relations have a powerful resonance.
Table of Contents
Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Front Matter | 1 | ||
Half Title | 1 | ||
Anthem Travel Classics | 2 | ||
Main Title | 3 | ||
Copyright | 4 | ||
Content | 5 | ||
List of Illustrations | 7 | ||
Introduction: Jonathan Spence | 9 | ||
Preface | 13 | ||
Main Matter | 17 | ||
Chapter 1: The Importance of Names | 17 | ||
Chapter 2: American Prosperity | 25 | ||
Chapter 3: American Government | 31 | ||
Chapter 4: America and China | 41 | ||
Chapter 5: American Education | 49 | ||
Chapter 6: American Business Methods | 57 | ||
Chapter 7: American Freedom and Equality | 65 | ||
Chapter 8: American Manners | 75 | ||
Chapter 9: American Women | 85 | ||
Chapter 10: American Costumes | 93 | ||
Chapter 11: American veersus Chinese Civilization | 101 | ||
Chapter 12: American versus Chinese Civilization (continued) | 113 | ||
Chapter 13: Dinners, Banquets, etc. | 131 | ||
Chapter 14: Theaters | 147 | ||
Chapter 15: Opera and Musical Entertainments | 157 | ||
Chapter 16: Conjuring and Circuses | 163 | ||
Chapter 17: Sports | 167 | ||
End Matter | 174 | ||
Author Photograph | 174 |