Abstract concepts like imperialism sometimes can be difficult to grasp. How do officials who have never stepped foot in a place make decisions about millions of people as if it were a pawn on a chessboard with such little thought? Khan's history answers part of that puzzle.

“There was something imperialistic about distributing territory in this casual manner—a handshake at Cairo, without any thought of what the people whose future was being decided might want” (27).

Though I see others have critiqued Khan for an elite-centered narrative, which I agree is shortcoming of a more traditional diplomatic history, Khan also focuses on why elite agency was crucial for Taiwan's current predicament. Take this other quote that resonated with me:

Khan is a gifted storyteller and included some quotes I appreciated, such as one about Chinese officials who were befuddled by the public backlash following Watergate: “How was one to deal with a country where a simple burglary scandal could threaten the head of state?” (122).

Thank you!

Thanks for getting my book! (I assign Morris’ book in my undergrad class, and Dittmer’s edited volume has some good chapters too!)

This is a super fun wordle variant