An Unofficial 'The Rest Is History' Reading List
444. The First Emperor of China
April 28, 2024
Description
Books Referenced
Author: Jorge Luis Borges
Context:
Referenced at the beginning of the episode as an essay published in 1950 discussing the first emperor of China building the Great Wall and burning books
Author: Anonymous (Chinese Classical)
Context:
Mentioned as an ancient Chinese historical text from which the 'Spring and Autumn Period' derives its name
Author: Jia Yi
Context:
Ancient Chinese text quoted extensively in the episode, written about 50 years after the first emperor's death, discussing his tyrannical rule
Author: Lin Biao (compiler)
Context:
Mentioned as 'the little red book' - the collection of Mao sayings compiled by Lin Biao that people would wave and brandish
Author: Hong Shidi
Context:
A state-sanctioned popular history biography published in the mid-1970s after Lin Biao's death, which sold almost two million copies within two years and presented the first emperor as a farsighted ruler