Mr. Smith Goes to China

By Jessica Hanser,

Book cover of Mr. Smith Goes to China: Three Scots in the Making of Britain's Global Empire

Book description

An illuminating account of global commerce in the eighteenth-century Indian Ocean world as seen through the lives of three Scottish traders

This book delves into the lives of three Scottish private traders-George Smith of Bombay, George Smith of Canton, and George Smith of Madras-and uses them as lenses through which…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Mr. Smith Goes to China as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This is a jewel of a book. It takes a strange coincidence and weaves it into a wonderful tale of world history. It explores the lives of three Scotsmen, all called George Smith but not related, who traded in Asia during the eighteenth century, a crucial time for the development of the East India Company and ties between East and West. It really opens a window into the lives of these pioneers and brings this neglected history alive. In particular, it complicates the usual story of the East India Company by showing how it was a force for stability in…

From Bill's list on the emergence of modern China.

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