The Man Who Died Twice
Peter Thompson
The Man Who Died Twice is the compelling story of ‘Morrison of Peking’, who bestrode continents, helped bring down a dynasty and chronicled his times so brilliantly that he not only wrote history but changed it as well. George Ernest Morrison’s work as a correspondent for the London Times in the decadent and dangerous Chinese capital at the turn of the 19th century brought him international fame, not least when he helped to organise the defence of the legations during the 55-day siege of the Boxer Uprising. Then, as adviser to the fledgling Chinese government, he was a pivotal figure in the fall of the last Emperor and the birth of the Chinese Republic.
Peter Thompson and Robert Macklin have written a powerful and gripping biography of an Australian journalist and adventurer who paused only to tell his stories and plan his next foray among the great events and leading figures of his day.
Book Details:
- Author: Peter Thompson
- Published Year: 2004
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Rights Sold
- UK: Allen & Unwin
Peter Thompson
Peter Thompson, born in Melbourne, joined the London Daily Mirror in 1966. He was a Fleet Street journalist for twenty years, rising to night editor and deputy editor of the Daily Mirror, editor of the Sunday Mirror and a director of Mirror Group Newspapers. In 1988 Thompson was the first Mirror Group editor to break ranks and expose the criminality of his boss Robert Maxwell. Thompson’s first book, Maxwell: A Portrait of Power, written with former Mirrorman and fellow Australian Anthony Delano, detailed the publishing tycoon’s rise to power through acts of fraud, deception and ...
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Book Reviews
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"An excellent biography."
The Age -
"Morrison was the first Australian to break into Fleet Street’s elite corps of foreign correspondents. He set the benchmark: courage, truthfulness and the need to be there, face to face. His amazing life, splendidly and succinctly told, is an inspiration. If Morrison has been largely forgotten, this book will change that forever."
Phillip Knightley, author of The First Casualty -
"As this highly readable joint biography shows, the life and times of Australia's George Ernest Morrison deserve to be remembered, especially by those who love and admire the craft of journalism."
Ross Fitzgerald, Sydney Morning Herald