The RAS China Book Club is delighted to announce that author Adam Brookes will join us to discuss his recent book "Fragile Cargo" on Oct. 9. Professor Emeritus Bruce Reynolds, a RAS member, will host the discussion. This event is complimentary to RAS China members.

Spring 1933: The silent courtyards and palaces of Peking's Forbidden City, the home of Chinese emperors for centuries, are tense with fear and expectation. Japan's aircraft drone is overhead, and its troops and tanks are only hours away. An all-out war between China and Japan is coming, and the curators of the Forbidden City are faced with an impossible question: how will they protect the vast imperial art collections in their charge? A difficult and monumental decision is made: to safeguard the treasures, they must evacuate.

Told for the first time in English and playing out across a vast historical canvas, Fragile Cargo written by Adam Brookes, a previous BBC Beijing correspondent, is a compelling story of art, war, and adventure that follows the small group of men and women who, when faced with war's onslaught on civilization, chose to resist. Mr. Brookes writes "At the time, many Chinese people came to fear that their country and culture faced complete destruction. The curators who packed, evacuated and conserved the imperial art collections to protect them from the Japanese invasion acted with extraordinary commitment and bravery". The Wall Street Journal Praises the book as "A fascinating and inspiring story of triumph..." and Literary Review commented: "Thrilling…[Brookes] has uncovered the kind of history deserving of a cinematic blockbuster."

Adam Brookes is an author whose writing draws on his years in China and his study of Chinese, as well as his years as a journalist and foreign correspondent. Adam was born in Canada, but grew up in the UK. He is currently based in Washington D.C. and will speak online at the event. Please note this is an offline event at Garden Books. Professor Emeritus Bruce Reynolds will moderate the discussion.