The Chinese Puzzle

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First Publication

Published by George Allen & Unwin in November, 1927.

Availability

Out of print.

Background

In December, 1926, Ransome set off for China, to report on the war between the Nationalists and the Kuomingtang for the Manchester Guardian and the Baltimore Sun.  He travelled out by ship and returned across Russia in the Trans-Siberian Railway. His newspaper reports and articles on China appeared between January and August, 1927.

Back in Britain, Lloyd George suggested that Ransome turn his articles into a book, and both C P Scott and Stanley Unwin agreed. Unfortunately publication was delayed, first by Ransome taking time over his corrections, then by Lloyd George refusing to write his foreword until he had read the final proofs. This was disastrous for a book on fast-moving contemporaneous events. When it finally appeared, The Chinese Puzzle sold very poorly.

Synopsis

The Chinese Puzzle is a re-working of Ransome’s newspaper reports and articles from China, with a foreword by David Lloyd George.