From the trenches of World War I to the heart of revolutionary China, Harold J. Timperley bore witness to some of the most turbulent events of the 20th Century. As a foreign correspondent, he exposed the brutality of Japan's war in China, risking his life to document the horrors of the Nanking Massacre. As a propagandist for the Chinese government of the day, he helped shape global understanding of the conflict, and later as a diplomat, he walked the razor's edge between impartiality and conviction during Indonesia's fight for independence.
In this meticulously researched biography, Brendan Cook unravels the complex legacy of a man revered by some and reviled by others-a man whose work influenced war crimes tribunals, challenged Western involvement in Asia, and helped to forge the modern Asian narrative. Drawing on personal letters, archival records, and eyewitness accounts, A Man of Exquisite Honour is a compelling portrait of a brilliant, difficult, and deeply principled figure whose life was defined by truth, justice, and sacrifice.
Language
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
ISBN-13
978-988-8904-58-7 (9789888904587)
Schweitzer Classification
Brendan Cook lives in Perth, Western Australia, where he was born and raised. A tax advisor by profession, Brendan has had a lifelong passion for history and the human stories behind some of the world's most significant events. Harold Timperley's life first came to Brendan's notice when he was conducting research for his first book: To Their Credit: The Australian Army Pay Corps of the First World War (2021). Timperley was one of the many men who served in that unit and when reading Timperley's service record Brendan noticed a declaration on the file, made in 1942, stating that his property had been lost 'due to enemy action in China'. Brendan's first reaction was the question; 'what was a man from Western Australia doing in China at that time?' and thus A Man of Exquisite Honour was born.Brendan is married with three grown children, three dogs, and two cats. He and his wife love to travel and look forward to doing more of that in the coming years.
