Treason by the Book - by Jonathan D Spence (Paperback)

About the Book

An acclaimed historian offers this riveting account of a secret, treacherous plot to overthrow the Manchu government of 1728 China, presenting the story in a gripping blend of cultural history and compelling narration.

Book Synopsis

"A savory, fascinating story of absolute rule, one that not only reveals a great deal about China's turbulent past but also suggests where some of the more durable reflexes of China's current leaders have their roots. . . . A detective yarn and a picaresque tale." (Richard Bernstein, The New York Times)

Shortly before noon on October 28, 1728, General Yue Zhongqi, the most powerful military and civilian official in northwest China, was en route to his headquarters. Suddenly, out of the crowd, a stranger ran toward Yue and passed him an envelope--an envelope containing details of a treasonous plot to overthrow the Manchu government.

This thrilling story of a conspiracy against the Qing dynasty in 1728 is a captivating tale of intrigue and a fascinating exploration of what it means to rule and be ruled. Once again, Jonathan Spence has created a vivid portrait of the rich culture that surrounds a most dramatic moment in Chinese history.

Review Quotes

Praise for Treason by the Book

A History Book Club Selection

"Compelling . . . reads like a medieval whodunit."
--The Wall Street Journal

"A fascinating, beautiful book."
--The Washington Times

"Near-cinematic suspense . . . Spence's depiction of the investigation is mesmerizing."
--Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

"An infectiously readable narrative . . . on par with bestselling works of historical reconstruction such as Dava Sobel's Longitude . . . Eighteenth-century China springs to life."
--The Dallas Morning News

"A slice of history told in the lively manner of a novel . . . A novel of ideas."
--Ian Buruma, The New York Times Book Review

"[A] fascinating detective story."
--The New Yorker

"A work of history that pulses with emotion, with vital characters re-created vividly, with complex situations lucidly unraveled, with irony underscored. His straight forward prose style and use of the historic present give his work an engrossing immediacy. It is history of the best kind."
--The Philadelphia Inquirer

"A delicate spider's web of a book, deft, fascinating, and precise as Chinese calligraphy."
--The Los Angeles Times

About the Author

Jonathan Spence (1936-2021): Was the author of more than a dozen well-regarded books "which illuminate China's vast history through details that illuminated bigger pictures and themes. (The New York Times)" including The Gate of Heavenly Peace, Treason by the Book, and The Death of Woman Wang. His awards include a Guggenheim and a MacArthur Fellowship. He was Sterling Professor of History at Yale University from 1993 to 2008.