Another book about China

I had gone to the Brisbane City Library to pick up the book "Sunshine and Oranges" that I had been waiting for, and as I was leaving the library with it, I saw another book.  I'm keen to read books on China, and the title caught my eye.  "My Life as Emperor" - a novel written by Su Tong, author of Rice and Raise the Red Lantern.  I had not heard of this author, nor his books, but I quickly took it off the shelf and registered it.

As it turns out I read Su Tong's book before the Sunshine and Oranges book, the latter I have only just started.  "My Life as Emporer" was quite an interesting book, about a 'pampered and naive fourteen-year-old prince' who became Emperor after the sudden death of his father.  It was a fabu7lous read, and I was rivetted to the pages over the last week.  I found it hard to put down.  It would probably be of greater interest to someone really interested in Chinese culture, and it does describe the cruelty of le3aders in days past in ancient Chinese history, and thre treatment of concubines.