Manchuria was a region of northeastern China that had long been the subject of territorial disputes and wars. China, Russia, and even Japan had, at times, imposed their wills on this giant portion of the Asian continent. In Special District: Harbin by Tim Stickel, we...

Special District: Harbin: Drawing the Tiger’s Bones by Tim Stickel is a fascinating story about a turbulent time in China when the Russian presence felt smothering and the undertones of resistance ran strong. The year is 1929 and young Borya, part Russian and part Chinese,...