{"product_id":"mandarin","title":"Mandarin","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMandarin\u003c\/em\u003e is a historical novel by Robert Elegant, published by Simon \u0026amp; Schuster in 1983. It is set in China during the Taiping Rebellion of the 1860s–70s, and is the third book in his bestselling \"Imperial China Trilogy,\" following \u003cem\u003eDynasty\u003c\/em\u003e (1977) and \u003cem\u003eManchu\u003c\/em\u003e (1980). It blends two tales: one of business and corruption in metropolitan Shanghai and another of schemes and politics of an imperial concubine. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eUnderstanding the author is key to understanding the book's significance. Elegant was an American-British journalist who spent many years in Asia, covering both the Korean and Vietnam Wars and going on to earn a Masters degree in Far Eastern studies and journalism. He was not a casual observer so much as one of the most credentialed and invested Western China experts of his era writing popular fiction.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Curio Goods, Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42754770927682,"sku":null,"price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0637\/9100\/5762\/files\/3E11D77F-31AA-4374-8E7B-6477FECA1E96.png?v=1765401537","url":"https:\/\/curiogoodsco.com\/products\/mandarin","provider":"Curio Goods, Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}