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Empress Orchid
Empress Orchid
Anchee Min | 2004 | Biography, Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Colourful and captivating
I was instantly engrossed in this book, being taken back to 19th century China, where being chosen to be the Emperor's concubine was a great privilege.
The book is written from a first-person perspective, and allows you to visualise everything described - from the gardens, to the dress, and occasionally, the smells.
Beautifully written.
  
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
1986 | Action, Comedy, Fantasy
Escape from china town
Big Trouble in Little China is a 1986 martial arts comedy movie.
the story follows Jack Burton, a man who agrees to help his friend Wang Chi rescue his green-eyed fiancée from bandits in San Francisco's Chinatown. Their mission leads them to a mysterious underworld beneath Chinatown, where they face an ancient sorcerer named Lo Pan, who requires a woman with green eyes to marry him in order to release him from a centuries-old curse.

Directed by John Carpenter and starring Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun and James Hong

Great storyline, cheesy old school graphics and action, brilliant characters and cast.
Absolute classic.




release date: July 2, 1986
Running time: 99 minutes

Fun fact:

The project fulfilled Carpenter's long-standing desire to make a martial arts movie.
  
The Old Dragon’s Head
The Old Dragon’s Head
Justin Newland | 2018 | Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A fantastic escape to historical China, where the supernatural is natural.
THE OLD DRAGON'S HEAD takes you back in time to the Great Wall of China and you become immersed with the main characters and their search for the truth and justice. Supernatural is natural for those with yin-yang eyes, and the Heavens rule over everything, including day-to-day duties. Karma is not an unknown entity, but something to be respected and even feared.

Told mainly from Bolin, Feng, and Luli's perspectives, you get a well-rounded story that deals with treachery, betrayal, and murder. Our heroes are fallible and things definitely don't go their way all the time.

I must say, I agreed with Luli completely at the end, and it came as a surprise as Abbott Dong had been a level-headed character up to that point.

This was very well-written, with a love of ancient China showing through. The story is intricate and in-depth, whilst being easy to read. A fantastic escape and definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
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Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated Rumble in the Bronx (1995) in Movies

Jan 14, 2018 (Updated Jan 15, 2018)  
Rumble in the Bronx (1995)
Rumble in the Bronx (1995)
1995 | Action, Comedy, International
Jackie Chan
Keung ( Chan) comes over from China to help his uncle out with his business. In this area where his uncle's business is, it is controlled by thugs and street gangs. Keung tasks himself in ridding his uncles busniess of the kind.

A fun movie with great stunts. no matter what movie Jackie is in is going to contain great stunts.
  
The Taking of Tiger Mountain (2015)
The Taking of Tiger Mountain (2015)
2015 | Action
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
The epic storytelling (0 more)
A great film for Tsui Hark fans
Inspired by the book "Tracks in Snowy Forest" and later adapted in an opera "The Taking of Tiger Mountain by Strategy" the film shows an epic battle between the People's Liberation Army and a group of ruthless bandits, all for the fate of China. This movie is definite for Tsui Hark fans.
  
The Karate Kid (2010)
The Karate Kid (2010)
2010 | Action, Drama, Family
7
6.8 (18 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A decent re-make that isn't an exact carbon copy, which is a good thing! I think setting this one in China was a good call, and what better master than Jackie Chan to teach him. Would have been nice if it was a bit shorter in length and a few more fight scenes at the tournament etc. However it is still a very enjoyable film.
  
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Salman Rushdie recommended The Sirens of Titan in Books (curated)

 
The Sirens of Titan
The Sirens of Titan
Kurt Vonnegut | 1959 | Humor & Comedy, Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences, Science Fiction/Fantasy
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"This is a real delight. Among its leading characters is a man who, along with his dog, accidentally enters a chrono-synclastic infundibulum and gets stretched out across space and time. The inhabitants of Tralfamadore meanwhile distort the whole of human history to bring home one of their own. (The Great Wall of China and the Kremlin are messages from Tralfamadore. Draw your own conclusions.)"

Source
  
The Immigrant Exodus: Why America Is Losing the Global Race to Capture Entrepreneurial Talent
The Immigrant Exodus: Why America Is Losing the Global Race to Capture Entrepreneurial Talent
Vivek Wadhwa | 2012 | Business & Finance, History & Politics
7
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Repetitive, but agree with the sentiment
The Immigrant Exodus feels like a very long essay / article that has been extended to 100 pages, exploring how stringent immigration laws in the US are causing a reverse brain drain in the fields of business, entrepreneurial ventures and technology. In this case, there is a significant focus on India and China, with the author revealing his own experiences of waiting for a green card when he was younger.

As a result, many are returning home and creating start ups in their own countries, hence India and China have become technological powerhouses, while the USA's industries are beginning to wane. While I agree with most of this book, there is little exploration on the impact of these ventures in the US helping native workers. The author briefly mentions that it can create millions of jobs in the US, but does not explain further. It is rather repetitive but easy to read.
  
Wish - Shopping Made Fun
Wish - Shopping Made Fun
Lifestyle, Shopping
7
6.4 (56 Ratings)
App Rating
The prices (0 more)
Quality of some things , although the price may tell you what to expect (0 more)
I use wish all the time I love it things you didn’t know you needed or didn’t know you wanted. Everything is cheap and if something is too cheap you should realise the quality may be lacking , can take a while to arrive as come from China but if a item doesn’t arrive they refund without much hassle .
  
TB
The Black Dove
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Big Red and Old Red are still in San Francisco when a chance encounter with a friend leads them into a murder in China town. This book has some funny parts, but it is darker than the previous two books in the series. Still, it was a fun trip through the San Francisco of 1893.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-black-dove-by-steve.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.