The Forbidden City /

Covering almost 178 acres, the Forbidden City in the center of Beijing was designed to be an earthly expression of the Chinese celestial emperor's majesty, inspiring awe in his subjects. Though the Chinese imperial dynasties are no more, the "Great Within" continues to entrance people around the globe. Barme (Pacific & Asian history, Australian National Univ.; Shades of Mao) applies his extensive expertise to creating this guide, written for "the intelligent ignorant," as the series' editor defines its readership. Barme has hit the mark, offering a richly detailed yet accessible thematic history of the Forbidden City, including its architecture and its inhabitants, with commentary on international perceptions of Chinese culture. He does an excellent job of providing enough background information to aid those not as well versed in Chinese history as he is while objectively presenting historical events that could be easily politicized. Recommended for academic and public libraries. (Illustrations not seen.)--Tessa L.H. Minchew, Georgia Perimeter Coll. Lib., Clarkston (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.