China in Turmoil, Studies in Personality

Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1927. First Edition. Small quarto in goldenrod yellow cloth; 233 pages plates, frontis, maps to end papers; 23 cm A tight, clean very good(+) copy; no jacket. Minor wear to exterior. . Hardcover.

The author was born in China and served as a British consular official. Deeply engaged with Chinese affairs in the early twentieth century, this book offers a firsthand account of the country’s upheavals during a period of revolutionary ferment; it presents a vivid narrative drawn from King’s own experiences and observations while stationed in various parts of China, particularly Tibet and the western provinces. His prose captures the collapse of the Qing dynasty, the rise of warlord factions, and the turbulent efforts toward modernization and national unity, all rendered with a mixture of imperial perspective and genuine admiration for Chinese culture. While infused with the biases of his time and position, King’s account remains a valuable historical document, offering insight into the Western gaze upon China’s struggles and the complexities of early Republican-era governance.