AUDIO

Black Dragon River: A Journey Down the Amur River at the Borderlands of Empires

by Dominic Ziegler
11 CDs. 14:15 hrs. Brilliance. 2015. ISBN 9781501299414. $67.97. 1 MP3-CD. HIST
COPY ISBN
As a crossroads of the great empires of Asia, the Amur River offers journalist Ziegler, Asia editor for The Economist, a lens with which to examine the fraught Sino-Russian relationship. His journey follows the Amur from top to bottom and includes travel on horseback and via the Trans-Siberian Railway. The known history of the region begins with Genghis Khan and the rise of the Mongolian empire, continuing on to various expansionist-minded khans, tsars, and emperors, up until today as Russian and Chinese strongmen uneasily rub shoulders. The Amur now is the border between much of the Russian Far East and northeast China. Ziegler's first book provides a great deal of information about the history and geopolitics of this important region and is told in an entertaining style. Steve West's narration adds texture.
VERDICT Recommended for libraries and patrons with an interest in Russian or Asian history. ["Readers curious about the history of Sino-Russian relations and Russia's eastward expansion will find this account of particular interest": LJ 10/15/15 review of the Penguin Pr. hc.]
Reviewed by Cynthia Jensen, Gladys Harrington Lib., Plano, TX , Apr 15, 2016
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

MEDIA

The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye
by Cameron, Briony
MEDIA

Accordion Eulogies: A Memoir of Music, Migration, and Mexico
by Álvarez, Noé
MEDIA

Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk
by Hanna, Kathleen
MEDIA

Summer
by Wharton, Edith
MEDIA

The Last Shot: City Streets, Basketball Dreams
by Frey, Darcy
MEDIA

The Bitter Truth
by Williams, Shanora
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?