The Last Empress: Madame Chiang Kai-shek and the Birth of Modern China
Front cover of the book The Last Empress: Madame Chiang Kai-shek and the Birth of Modern China (*Originally written on February 16, 2015. Revisited and reflected upon today.) Ten years ago today, on February 16, 2015, I purchased The Last Empress: Madame Chiang Kai-shek and the Birth of Modern China by Hannah Pakula. My decision to buy the book was deeply personal. My grandmother and Soong Mei-ling were friends, and during the Chinese Civil War they worked together to establish orphanages for children in desperate need. Later, my grandmother followed Chiang Kai-shek to Taiwan, where she served as a National Assembly Representative ( 国大代表 ). She witnessed firsthand Taiwan’s remarkable transformation into a democratic nation—one in which citizens would eventually gain the right to freely elect their president. Through her vivid storytelling, my grandmother shared invaluable insights into modern Chinese history. Her memories shaped ...