A Wilderness of Marshes

Reviews / Votes

This is a fascinating work of scholarship that sheds much light on the processes of the public regulation of the environment in a Chinese city. . . . Kerrie MacPherson has given us an informative case study, well researched and meticulously referenced, full of insight and rich in potential for comparative analysis. Kerrie MacPherson has written a highly original book . . . which provides a penetrating and authoritative view of foreign medical and health activities in China. -- James H. Cassidy, History of Medicine Division, National Library of Medicine The scope of this book . . . offers a sweeping view of the public health movement as it emerged in the West as seen through the prism of a Western outpost in the Celestial empire. . . . While the book offers important lessons for primary care in the developing world, it should be of equal interest to the student of health policy and its history in industralized society. This book throws fascinating light on an important aspect of Shanghai's social and economic history which has hitherto been disregarded. . . . It deserves to be read . . . by a wide audience. * China Quarterly * The book is at once urban studies, comparative history, and modern Chinese studies. It is a solid, pioneering, and scholarly contribution. The overall thesis and minor themes have made it necessary for us to re-examine generally perceived notions about the development of Chinese cities. . . . It is historical writing at its best. We can particularly applaud this well-constructed and original study * Times Literary Supplement *