OCEAN DEVIL: THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF GEORGE HOGG PDF, EPUB, EBOOK James MacManus | 288 pages | 01 Apr 2009 | HarperCollins Publishers | 9780007270750 | English | London, United Kingdom Ocean Devil: The life and legend of George Hogg by James MacManus I am from Shaanxi, a place George Hogg lived and worked for years. Two years from now and people have to do something done one way or the other, in China or in UK. Last September, I did visit Gansu and attended the celebration there of the 70th anniversary of Bailie School and th birthday of Rewi Alley, he was the best friend of George. They have the museum of them and the monument. They also have the collection of over books and other items contributed to them by Rewi in the s, at the time of the re-establishment of Bailie School in Shandan in This is what they told me. The Museum is also at their place. And also the family members of George, including his adopted children in China, the Nie's Brothers. I live and work in China and have shown 'Children of the Silk Road' to many of my students to show them about the kindness of G A Hogg. Of course I have to consider the strong anti-Japanese feelings that still exist across China and especially in Shaanxi where I live. Although he died young at the age of 30, G A Hogg undertook a remarkable journey with the children. Quite a man who never gave up his ideals and the care of his young charges. I have noticed the photo of 'Hogg with Chinese forces during Sino-Japanese war in ': the caption reads "with Chinese forces" and I think this was in when George Hogg visited the Communist Army, specially in the war field and met with General Nie. Liu Ke. The 4th figure was Deng Tuo, who was also one of the early Communists - a journalist, chief editor of the Frontier newspaper. He came to serve as the director general and editor in chief of the People's Daily : he was a poet, as well as a writer. He published some very good writing in the s and early 60s. He was denounced because of his writings and died in , just at the beginning of the so called Cultural Revolution in China. I am rereading this page with my previous input and found that I did make an big mistake in noting George Aylwin Hogg's birthday. He was born on Feb 26 and died on July 22, Tomorrow is July 22, on which he passed away of sickness in Shandan, Gansu, China. If you're already a registered user of this site, please login using the form on the left-hand side of this page. More filters. Sort order. Oct 01, Judy rated it it was ok Shelves: bio-memoir , china , reads. It's too bad that the author didn't go whole-Hogg when writing the account of George Hogg, Ocean Devil. I can't imagine a life more suited for a mesmerizing, emotional biography. Around the neck-of-the-woods where I live, we have a joke about our Detroit Lions football team snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory with the subpar play of their talent-laden team, this is much how I feel after reading this book. For Pete's sake, a movie was made about this trek. The movie was the reason I wanted to read this book so badly, to find out more! What is lamentable about this is that the history shown through the eyes of George Hogg would have been very interesting, but approached the way the author approached it was dry. Having read most of the historical events in other biographies and memoirs, I know this could have been done much better. During his stay in China, he fell in love with a Chinese lady, he survived typhus, malaria as well as many other grave illnesses, he fed the starving, he fought corruption Its not until the last third of the book that the pace picks up when it actually starts focusing on Hogg, but still it doesn't capitalize on the events of his life. Apr 20, Sheri S. The life of George Hogg proved somewhat interesting. George Hogg seemed a noble man with great aspirations who finally found what would make him most happy in life. He was the headmaster at a school in China and had to move the school on one occasion to escape approaching military forces. I was a bit disappointed that the mile journey involved in moving the school was not discussed with mor The life of George Hogg proved somewhat interesting. I was a bit disappointed that the mile journey involved in moving the school was not discussed with more detail. I think I would have liked to have learned more about the man himself as opposed to the great amount of history. Aug 30, Ming Jiu Li rated it it was ok. Served as a good reminder for some key historical events, but it was mostly chronological story-telling, and failed to elucidate larger and deeper understandings of China in that time period, and China's interactions with foreigners and philanthropy, etc. Also, think there were some inconsistencies. May 17, Clare rated it liked it. A mix of a personal biography with the political backdrop of China where George spent eight years during the Sino-Japanese war. Not ideal for people who are already quite familiar with the topic, but it is explained to help you appreciate Hogg's surroundings, thus to understand this fascinating man. Nov 04, Laura rated it liked it. This book was a really interesting read and amazing that it is all a real life experience. I watched the movie version with Jonathan Rhys-Myers before I read the book and it is a bit different, but I thought they did a good job of adapting to film. Pam rated it really liked it Sep 02, Stephanie rated it it was amazing Sep 27, Andy Adkins rated it it was amazing Oct 09, Mauricio Santoro rated it really liked it Sep 16, Mex Ican rated it really liked it Oct 17, British adventurer. For other people named George Hogg, see George Hogg disambiguation. Archived from the original on 7 July Retrieved 20 September The Sunday Times. New Zealand China Friendship Society. Archived from the original on 25 March Namespaces Article Talk. George Hogg (adventurer) - Wikipedia As a correspondent for American news agencies, he travelled from war zone to war zone, crossing Japanese lines at night, speaking fluent Mandarin. The network of village cooperatives which provided basic goods such as textiles appointed him their secretary and publicist. Marines to mean something more aggressive. Hogg also managed to visit the Chinese Communist Army encamped in the mountains up north. The war was complicated by the fact that the Nationalist and Communist Chinese armies were enemies of each other, as well as of the Japanese. He never saw her again, but wrote her love letters for the rest of his short life. It was in chaos, without books, food or equipment. He also taught them to sing? English nursery rhymes as well as Chinese folk songs. He played games with them. Old pupils interviewed by the author make it clear that they worshipped him. He was firm as a friend. He did everything with us. It was a mile trek in winter, some of it on foot, in freezing temperatures through mountains reputed to harbour evil spirits as well as bandits. He lost only one boy, who died. When his battered convoy reached Shandan, out of danger, they set about rebuilding the school in a derelict temple. It was an epic achievement. Then, just as the school got back on its feet, George Hogg stubbed his toe during a basketball game. The wound became infected with tetanus, and he died after agonising days of lockjaw, while the vaccine he needed was being brought from a distant town too late to save him. His rebuilt school, his bust and his tomb in Shandan are witness to a tough life, lived in terrible times, with exuberance and optimism. James MacManus, a seasoned foreign correspondent who discovered the story, has presented it with admirable clarity, illuminating both the contortions of the war in China and the strength of character of this young Englishman who persuaded everyone he met to behave as honourably as he did. The life and legend of George HoggThe dramatic true-life story of George Hogg, a young Oxford graduate who is caught up in the Japanese invasion of China in and the Chinese Civil war, and who leads a group of Chinese children hundreds of miles across 15,foot mountains to safety — only to die tragically in early The author, James MacManus, was working as a reporter in Shanghai in s when he heard talk of a statue being up in the remote town of Shandon on the Mongolian border in memory of an Englishman called George Hogg. The author, James MacManus, worked as a reporter in Shanghai in the s when he heard talk of a statue, in the remote town of Shandan, on the Mongolian border, in the memory of Englishman George Hogg. Hogg grew up in the small town of Harpenden in the United Kingdom. In January , during the undeclared war between China and Japan , he left Japan to visit Shanghai , China for two days. There have been claims that Hogg was an independent reporter for the Associated Press , supposedly [3] writing on the atrocities which he witnessed during the war.