At the twilight of the nineteenth century, China sent a detachment of boys to America in order to learn the ways of the West, modernise the antiquated empire, and defend it from foreigners invading its shores. After spending a decade in New England's finest schools, the boys returned home, driven by a pioneering spirit of progress and reform. Their lives in America influenced, not only their thinking, but also their nation's endeavour to become a contemporary world power, an endeavour that resonates powerfully today. Drawing on diaries, letters and other first-person accounts, Fortunate Sons tells a remarkable tale, weaving together the dramas of personal lives with the momentous thrust of a nation reborn. Shedding light on a crucial yet largely unknown period in China's history, Fortunate Sons provides insight into the issues concerning that nation today, from its struggle towards economic supremacy to its fraught relationship with the United States.

An urgent and accessible handbook for peaceful protesters, activists, and community organizers—anyone trying to defend their rights, hold their government accountable, or change the world

Blueprint for Revolution will teach you how to
• make oppression backfire by playing your opponents’ strongest card against them
• identify the “almighty pillars of power” in order to shift the balance of control
• dream big, but start learn how to pick battles you can win
• listen to what people actually care about in order to incorporate their needs into your revolutionary vision
• master the art of compromise to bring together even the most disparate groups
• recognize your allies and view your enemies as potential partners
• use humor to make yourself heard, defuse potentially violent situations, and “laugh your way to victory”

Praise for Blueprint for Revolution

“The title is no exaggeration. Otpor’s methods . . . have been adopted by democracy movements around the world. The Egyptian opposition used them to topple Hosni Mubarak. In Lebanon, the Serbs helped the Cedar Revolution extricate the country from Syrian control. In Maldives, their methods were the key to overthrowing a dictator who had held power for thirty years. In many other countries, people have used what Canvas teaches to accomplish other political goals, such as fighting corruption or protecting the environment.” — The New York Times

“A clear, well-constructed, and easily applicable set of principles for any David facing any Goliath (sans slingshot, of course) . . . By the end of  Blueprint, the idea that a punch is no match for a punch line feels like anything but a joke.” — The Boston Globe

“An entertaining primer on the theory and practice of peaceful protest.” — The Guardian

“With this wonderful book, Srdja Popovic is inspiring ordinary people facing injustice and oppression to use this tool kit to challenge their oppressors and create something much better. When I was growing up, we dreamed that young people could bring down those who misused their power and create a more just and democratic society. For Srdja Popovic, living in Belgrade in 1998, this same dream was potentially a much more dangerous idea. But with an extraordinarily courageous group of students that formed Otpor!, Srdja used imagination, invention, cunning, and lots of humor to create a movement that not only succeeded in toppling the brutal dictator Slobodan Milošević but has become a blueprint for nonviolent revolution around the world. Srdja rules!” —Peter Gabriel
 
“ Blueprint for Revolution is not only a spirited guide to changing the world but a breakthrough in the annals of advice for those who seek justice and democracy. It asks (and not heavy-handedly): As long as you want to change the world, why not do it joyfully? It’s not just funny. It’s seriously funny. No joke.” —Todd Gitlin, author of The Sixties and Occupy Nation

1872-1875年间，清政府遴选了120名幼童，远赴美国留学，旨在让这些幼童学习西方先进的军事和技术，以对抗列强对中国的侵略。唤醒沉睡中的文明古国，引领国家走向现代化。这是中国近代史上最早的一次官派留学计划。
本书完整细腻地描绘了幼童在美留学期间的学习与生活，以及因留学计划的搁浅而中途召回，这些幼童在回国之后的种种人生经历。书中再现了在这个时局动荡的年代里，这些幼童中代表，唐绍仪、梁敦彦、梁如浩、李恩富、蔡绍基、钟文耀、詹天佑、蔡廷干、容尚谦等在不同的领域展现自己的才华和能力，改变中国的经济、外交和政重大务的往事，以及他们在那个时代所面临的冲突与挑战。