"Books are a hardbound drug with no danger of overdose. I am the happy victim of books."
— Karl Lagerfeld

London: William Heinemann, 1911. [China] VINTAGE COPY, a later impression. Octavo (26 x 17cm), pp.xxviii; 525 [3]. With 26 black and white photographic plates, including a frontispiece, and a map of Peking. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles to spine, and black titles and a red device to upper. Fore and lower edges untrimmed. A crisp, clean copy internally; some leaves unopened. Light toning to edges and endpapers. Repairs to split hinges. Wear to head and tail of spine; corners lightly bumped. Some dark splash marks to upper. Spine heavily toned. Very good. First published in 1910 as a genuine historical book about the period leading up to the Boxer Rebellion, it was subsequently proved that Backhouse's chief source was entirely fictional. Item #57506
Price: £65.00