Dimensions
153 x 233 x 28mm
The Great Wall of China is a wonder of the world. Hundreds of thousands of tourists every year take the five-mile journey from Beijing to climb its battlements. It is instantly familiar to millions more from the myriad photographs of this extraordinary landmark. But what do we really know about the Great Wall?
Many myths surround it - for example that it is visible from space. Not true: it cannot even been seen from earth orbit. Estimates of its length vary from 1500 to 5000 miles. Even its name is deceptive - it is not in fact a single entity, but many walls (hence the uncertain length), most of which are not built of stone, but earth. Different sections were built by different states and were first joined together in the third century BC, to counter the threat from nomadic barbarians from the north - a threat that was to menace China's borders for almost 2000 years.
In this riveting history John Man travels the entire length of the Great Wall and across over two millennia. In so doing, he finds a fascinating way into the remarkable and complex history of China, taking us from the country's tribal past, through the war with the Mongols, right up to the modern day, when the Great Wall is once more a powerful emblem of China, the resurgent superpower.
