Spies and Scholars

A Financial Times Book of the YearGold Medal in World History, Independent Publisher Book Awards“Superb…At once a history of science, of empire, and of espionage, the book traces the rise of the Russian empire as a putative rival to Qing dynasty China in the Far East. Afinogenov has chosen a genuinely compelling cast of characters to populate this story of imperial intrigue.”-New Rambler“The history of Sino-Russian relations appears in a much-altered light thanks to Gregory Afinogenov’s impressive new book…It is a little-known story, and [he] tells it beautifully.”-Tony Barber, Financial Times“Reads like a detective novel…a tour de force that offers new information about the rise of empires and the globalization of the world.”-Journal of Jesuit StudiesBeginning in the seventeenth century, Russian officials made a concerted effort to collect information about the Qing dynasty in China. From diplomatic missions in the Forbidden City to remote outposts on the border, Russian spies and sch