The Water Kingdom
A Secret History of China
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The Water Kingdom
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Narrated by:
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Derek Perkins
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By:
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Philip Ball
About this listen
From the Yangtze to the Yellow River, China is traversed by great waterways, which have defined its politics and ways of life for centuries. Water has been so integral to China's culture, economy, and growth and development that it provides a window on the whole sweep of Chinese history. In The Water Kingdom, renowned writer Philip Ball opens that window to offer an epic and powerful new way of thinking about Chinese civilization.
Water, Ball shows, is a key that unlocks much of Chinese culture. In The Water Kingdom, he takes us on a grand journey through China's past and present, showing how the complexity and energy of the country and its history repeatedly come back to the challenges, opportunities, and inspiration provided by the waterways.
Drawing on stories from travelers and explorers, poets and painters, bureaucrats and activists, all of whom have been influenced by an environment shaped and permeated by water, Ball explores how the ubiquitous relationship of the Chinese people to water has made it an enduring metaphor for philosophical thought and artistic expression.
©2016 Philip Ball (P)2017 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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What listeners say about The Water Kingdom
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Luca Nicotra
- 14-06-18
Excellent overview of China's history
On the importance of water ways in the history of China, both practically and symbolically.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 27-11-19
Better off with the paper copy
A pretty interesting take on Chinese History let down by some very poor pronunciations. The idea behind the book is pretty unique, though I did wonder whether the relationship that China shares with water is really all that different from other civilizations. I liked the broad sweep of the book but feel like it might be frustrating without a better idea of the general story of Chinese history. However some of the pronunciation of Chinese names is just pretty awful, sometimes to the point of being unintelligible.
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