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The Water Kingdom

A Secret History of China

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The Water Kingdom

By: Philip Ball
Narrated by: Derek Perkins
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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 Tantor Asia China Earth Sciences Environment History History & Philosophy Science World Imperial Japan Ancient History Royalty

Critic Reviews

"This is a one-stop examination of water's primacy in Chinese history, and a well-written one at that." ( Publishers Weekly)
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A fantastic look at history through an oblique lens, which serves to draw the reader into what could almost be described as a fantasy world of ancient myth and legend, all centered around the datum of water.

Brilliantly written by Philip, and for the most part well narrated by Vance, one does have to wonder why a book with so much in the way of Chinese words and phrases was not narrated by someone able to pronounce them correctly, as the immersion was lost frequently, despite the narrators best efforts.

Fascinating work

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The central theme of this book is very interestingly explored and led me to view Chinese history and culture in a whole new light.

That said, the frequent butchering of the Chinese words kept pulling me out of the narrative. Sometimes I could understand what he was trying to say, but other times I had no idea what word he was trying to convey. It was very frustrating for me. His narration of the rest of the book was delightful - I just wish he had internalized the bit in the prologue that explained how to pronounce pinyin.

Great Thesis. Terrible Pronunciation

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.