The Terra Cotta Army: China's First Emperor and the Birth of a Nation

In 1974, two farmers digging a well stumbled on part of the tomb of China's first emperor, Qin. Often called the Eighth Wonder of the World, the tomb contained an army of over 6,000 terra-cotta figures, some kneeling, others standing and many carrying weapons. In a plodding and erratic book, historian Man (Genghis Khan ) recounts the tomb's discovery and what it reveals about Qin's life. In an attempt to understand the techniques and materials used in the statues, Man visits reproduction factories and talks with artists. Repeating uncritically the same legends that Frances Wood dispels in China's First Emperor , Man fails to provide real depth or to offer any new insights. (May)