Extraordinary People: Historic Moments in the Lives of 20 People

The historical figures we think we know may be no more than shifting illusions, continually reshaped by the writing of history. This book focuses on twenty people who played important roles in the grand sweep of history but have since been overpraised, distorted, vilified, or obscured. They include Confucius, Emperor Wu of Han, Li Guang, Yang Xiu, Sima Yi, Emperor Yang of Sui, Emperor Zhenzong of Song, Kublai Khan, Wei Zhongxian, and Nian Gengyao. Drawing on historical sources and offering fresh perspectives, the book seeks to restore these figures, who profoundly shaped their times, as well as the eras in which they lived.