The Tay So'n Uprising: Society And Rebellion in Eighteenth-century Vietnam (Southeast Asia--Politics, Meaning, Memory)
"George Dutton has written the first detailed Western-language study of the Tây Sơn movement, which permanently altered Vietnam’s political trajectory. But in so doing, he also provides a sensitive social and cultural analysis of the pre-1800 Vietnamese-speaking world as a whole, and indeed one of the most detailed descriptions of any late 18th-century society in Southeast Asia." —Victor Lieberman, University of Michigan"It is difficult to overstate the significance of George Dutton’s terrific new book.The Tây Sơn Uprisingrepresents the first serious western-language account of the intricate sequence of political developments that define the Tây Sơn era and that arguably mark the onset of modernity in Vietnam.  In addition to providing a vividly evocative narrative of the complex political history of the period, Dutton offers lucid and judicious interpretations of the origins, evolution and downfall of the uprising and of its consequences for a wide range of social groups, political forces and ethnic communities.  The level of research and historical craftsmanship is superb, and Dutton’s frequent reflections on relevant theoretical and historiographical issues make for fascinating reading. In short, this is a stunning accomplishment and a major contribution to the study of Vietnamese history and historiography." —Peter Zinoman, University of California, Berkeley