by Iris Chang
First published 1999
In 1937, the Japanese army launched a brutal invasion of Nanking, China. Tens of thousands of civilians were murdered, raped, and mutilated in a campaign of unimaginable cruelty. As the city descended into chaos, a German businessman named John Rabe risked his life to shelter refugees and document the horrors he witnessed. This book illuminates one of history's darkest chapters, shattering the silence that has long shrouded the Rape of Nanking.
Genres: history, 20th-century, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-fiction, true-story
Setting: Nanjing (Jiangsu Sheng, China), Nan-ching shih (China)
Period: 20th century
290 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books
Content warnings: death, graphic-violence, war