by Diana Preston. Walker & Co., 2000.

Up to now, arguably the "standard" popular work concerning the Boxer Rebellion has been Peter Fleming's The Siege at Peking, which was published in 1959. Well, no more. Not only is Ms Preston's work longer (360 pages as against 261), but it covers more events in more detail and provides more background. It even has more pictures.

One advantage of the greater length and depth is that events outside the legation can receive more coverage.

For example, the Peitang Cathedral, in northern Peking (to keep the period spelling) had fewer defenders and a higher proportion of refugees and a lower proportion of food stocks. While mentioned in earlier works, the truly heroic defense, conducted entirely by French and Italians, has not been given the full credit it disserves, at least in English language accounts. There's a great scenario in there.

The book abounds in personal antidotes and accounts. Nothing here will come as the sort of revelation which will challenge the over-all accepted view of the events, the foreigners are still arrogant but brave, the Chinese still sorely aggrieved and bloodthirsty, the Empress still sly and self-serving. Nor will extensive OOB or logistical data be found here.

Still, as I said at the beginning, for a popular account of events, before, during and after, this is the one to have.