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neveroutofbooks's review against another edition
4.0
A well done history. My only wish would have been more on the tea trade as tea is my interest.
misterjay's review against another edition
4.0
When America First Met China is a fascinating look at the golden age of sail as it grew from the remnants of the 18th century and into the 19th and how the rise of trade with China directly affected and influenced both America and Britain in their quests to build a country and maintain an empire. The book explores the initial trading of fur seal pelts and silk and how through expeditions and politics, diplomacy and warfare, the trade eventually turned to opium with all its consequences, both anticipated and unforseen. And, finally, how the opium trade itself led to the rise of the 20th century international politics that would eventually contribute to both world wars.
All of which is a lot of history to cover in just a couple of hundred pages. Author Dolin does an admirable job in presenting the history as a series of interconnected descriptions of both people and places, customs and cultures. Rather than trying to maintain a tight focus on one or two aspects of the story, this book is a broad look at all the things that made up an incredible period of Pacific history.
Recommended for anyone who has an interest in the Golden Age of Sail, China, Hawaii, maritime history, or just a well written history book presented in a fun and easy-to-read manner.
All of which is a lot of history to cover in just a couple of hundred pages. Author Dolin does an admirable job in presenting the history as a series of interconnected descriptions of both people and places, customs and cultures. Rather than trying to maintain a tight focus on one or two aspects of the story, this book is a broad look at all the things that made up an incredible period of Pacific history.
Recommended for anyone who has an interest in the Golden Age of Sail, China, Hawaii, maritime history, or just a well written history book presented in a fun and easy-to-read manner.
sprague's review against another edition
4.0
Not the best writing -- his style isn't nearly as good as, say, 1491 Charles C Mann for example -- but I learned a lot.
kbuchanan's review against another edition
4.0
Dolin has done an admirable job of shedding light on a fascinating aspect of American history about which we do not often hear. We have in this book an engaging cultural and social history, as well as an economic one. Yes, Dolin focuses on the exchange of goods in trade between the China and the West, beginning in the late 18th century and following the thread through to the start of the 20th century, but the stories here are so much broader than that. Dolin works from the perspective gained from our nation's current relationship with China, examining how the myriad interactions between our two peoples have molded the situation in which we find ourselves today.
"When America First Met China" is at times a swashbuckling adventure, with tales of mutiny on the high seas and covert, back-alley deals wrought in the seedy underbelly of port towns on both sides of the world, and at times an unflinching look at the human capacity for cruelty and bigotry in the meeting of two rich cultural perspectives. Dolin's work offers a snapshot of America's emergence on the world stage as a brand new nation, forging its own identity as an international presence and significant factor in the world marketplace. The careful research work illuminates a colorful cast of significant historical personages with ties to the China trade, including the Astors, and strives to paint a detailed picture of the complex and shifting relationships between America, European powers, and China forming half a world away from America's ports. Dolin's canvas is immense, covering not only America's rise and the Opium Wars in the 19th century but also detailing the intricate nature of the production of key items in the trade such as opium, tea, and silk. Dolin convincingly portrays the extent to which these items shaped much of the cultural and social mindset in both Europe and America during this period, and also demonstrates the high cost of cultural insensitivity and disrespect, in the shameful rise of the coolie trade at the end of the 19th century.
In this work, Dolin offers us a wide-ranging, often surprising, history of America's earliest interactions with China. I found myself getting caught up in the adventure as well as the minutiae of day to day life for persons living through this period of history, creating products whose influence is felt to this day. The book's beautiful layout and insightful research made it a joy to read and explore. Thanks to Goodreads and the author for the Advanced Reader's copy!
"When America First Met China" is at times a swashbuckling adventure, with tales of mutiny on the high seas and covert, back-alley deals wrought in the seedy underbelly of port towns on both sides of the world, and at times an unflinching look at the human capacity for cruelty and bigotry in the meeting of two rich cultural perspectives. Dolin's work offers a snapshot of America's emergence on the world stage as a brand new nation, forging its own identity as an international presence and significant factor in the world marketplace. The careful research work illuminates a colorful cast of significant historical personages with ties to the China trade, including the Astors, and strives to paint a detailed picture of the complex and shifting relationships between America, European powers, and China forming half a world away from America's ports. Dolin's canvas is immense, covering not only America's rise and the Opium Wars in the 19th century but also detailing the intricate nature of the production of key items in the trade such as opium, tea, and silk. Dolin convincingly portrays the extent to which these items shaped much of the cultural and social mindset in both Europe and America during this period, and also demonstrates the high cost of cultural insensitivity and disrespect, in the shameful rise of the coolie trade at the end of the 19th century.
In this work, Dolin offers us a wide-ranging, often surprising, history of America's earliest interactions with China. I found myself getting caught up in the adventure as well as the minutiae of day to day life for persons living through this period of history, creating products whose influence is felt to this day. The book's beautiful layout and insightful research made it a joy to read and explore. Thanks to Goodreads and the author for the Advanced Reader's copy!
civreader's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent book (despite occasional, overlong tangents). Essential for anyone with an interest in early and contemporary US-China relations. Full review on Politics Reader at some point in near future.
mynameiskate's review against another edition
4.0
This was an easy, interesting book about trade between the US (really, the western world, including Britain) and China between the late 1700s and early 1900s.
You meet interesting characters from every side: American trade merchants, American captains, British captains, Chinese traders and Chinese bureaucrats. The stories about life in Canton - where all trade between China and the West took place was good, though not AS detailed as I've read in similar books.
The impact of Chinese goods on American culture was fun to read about, though I wish there had been more of that. I enjoyed understanding the economics of trade and how people (men) could become quite wealthy even after you paid for and kitted out a ship with goods.
The discussion of the Chinese/US/British political triumvirate was very informative - helped me to understand further those dynamics (historically and today). There was a lot about the Opium Wars which I'd never really read about before. And as always with books like this, the Bibliography is chock full of great references to check out from the library!
I would definitely recommend this book along with Chop Suey: A Cultural History of Chinese Food in the US. Chop Suey isn't all about food and I actually thought it provided a better picture of a trader's life in Canton.
You meet interesting characters from every side: American trade merchants, American captains, British captains, Chinese traders and Chinese bureaucrats. The stories about life in Canton - where all trade between China and the West took place was good, though not AS detailed as I've read in similar books.
The impact of Chinese goods on American culture was fun to read about, though I wish there had been more of that. I enjoyed understanding the economics of trade and how people (men) could become quite wealthy even after you paid for and kitted out a ship with goods.
The discussion of the Chinese/US/British political triumvirate was very informative - helped me to understand further those dynamics (historically and today). There was a lot about the Opium Wars which I'd never really read about before. And as always with books like this, the Bibliography is chock full of great references to check out from the library!
I would definitely recommend this book along with Chop Suey: A Cultural History of Chinese Food in the US. Chop Suey isn't all about food and I actually thought it provided a better picture of a trader's life in Canton.
thuja's review
4.0
A very thorough and interesting overview of early American (and British) trade with China. The author does a good job of keeping all the information from being dry while also avoiding watering it down to make it "fun" or "sensational." I also appreciated all of the pictures and drawings included in the text.
I received this book in a goodreads giveaway.
I received this book in a goodreads giveaway.
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