An enthralling tale, divided between China and America, of two friends inspired by radically opposed idealsThis deeply felt novel tells the story of William Lane and Clem Miller, Americans who meet in China as youths at the end of the nineteenth century. Separated by the Boxer Rebellion, they're destined to travel wildly different courses in life. From a background of wealth and privilege, William becomes a power-hungry and controlling media magnate. By contrast, Clem, whose family survived on charity growing up, is engrossed by a project-which he works on ceaselessly, perhaps naively, togethe… (more)