A review by kittenscribble
The Lady and the Panda: The True Adventures of the First American Explorer to Bring Back China's Most Exotic Animal by Vicki Constantine Croke

3.0

It's subtitled "The True Adventures of the First American Explorer to Bring Back China's Most Exotic Animal." The book is about the life and times of Ruth Harkness, an intrepid society lady who ventured into China to carry out the quest of her late husband. Fascinating subject but the writing style is unsure and scattered; I would much prefer to read the original 1938 writings of Harkness herself, whose prose seems about twice as vibrant and entertaining as that of Ms. Croke. Still, a very well-researched and informative read.