Tiger, Tyrant, Bandit, Businessman

Rezensionen / Stimmen

"Written in a lively and accessible style, each chapter presents a skillfully crafted and entertaining narrative of events triggered by the PRC party-state's efforts to intervene in one Chinese local society during the early 1950s. A valuable addition to the field."-Micah Muscolino, University of California, San Diego "Through masterful and transparent close readings of criminal cases from the Chinese countryside,Tiger, Tyrant, Bandit, Businessman models the practice of archival research as detective work. The book not only provides a lively portrait of a period and place in contemporary Chinese history, but also offers a marvelous introduction to the historian's craft for student researchers regardless of field."-Tobie Meyer-Fong, Johns Hopkins University "In this Le Carre-esquely titled gem, DeMare exploits a unique cache of criminal case files to document the impact that regime change had on the lives of four individuals suspected of 'counterrevolution.' Carefully crafted with an impressive capacity to develop narrative scope and intensity, the outcome is remarkable and riveting grassroots history at its best."-Michael Schoenhals, Lund University "Tiger, Tyrant, Bandit, Businessman portrays the establishment of CCP power in one part of rural China in vivid detail, while also introducing nonspecialist readers to the main features of rural Chinese society before and during the revolution.... It is a book that deserves to be widely read by all those interested in the Chinese revolution, whether specialists, students, or members of the public."-Mark Czeller, The PRC History Review "Tiger, Tyrant, Bandit, Businessman is an exemplary work of microhistory. By highlighting ordinary people's lived experiences in an insignificant place in southern China, the book provides a gripping account of the new PRC state's success in creating a new order at a critical juncture of modern Chinese history. As a well-written and thought-provoking book with a great deal of interesting and intriguing details, it will certainly appeal to any readers interested in Chinese history or trying to understand the seismic change in twentieth-century China."-Qiliang He, Pacific Affairs "Tiger, Tyrant, Bandit, Businessmanis a pleasure to read and offers much insight for both specialists and students. With engaging prose, an entertaining 'cast of characters,' and useful reflections on the author's own experiences with these casefiles,DeMare has crafted a narrative that successfully shows why careful reading of archival documentsfrom an obscure corner of Jiangxi Province sheds light not only therural experience of the Communist Revolution but on the historian's craft as a whole."-Maggie Greene, Journal of Asian Studies "DeMare's work demonstrates how official sources can be used to recover the voices of individuals often lost in historical narratives.... Scholars, students, and general readers seeking to understand the social transformation in rural communities of the early PRC will find the book of great interest."-Lei Duan, Journal of Chinese History "Reading this book is like listening to a master storyteller unravel intricate and suspenseful tales set in the early years of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Once you start, it's almost impossible to put the book down."-Chuchu Wang, H-Asia