“I am very positive about this book because James L. Hevia’s efforts to move beyond a ‘China-centered approach’ are fresh and innovative. His chapters on the Boxers and their aftermath are the best part of the book. By reconstructing the polychromatic, global imperialist context circa 1900, Hevia thus builds on more recent views that have been drawn mainly from Chinese sources. Rather than essentialize ‘Western imperialism’ and ‘China's victimization’ in black and white, Hevia presents a more penetrating account of Euro-America's ‘civilizing mission’ before and after 1900.”—Benjamin A. Elman, Professor of East Asian Studies and History, Princeton University

“James L. Hevia takes the notion of imperial discipline and pedagogy beyond metaphor to precise illustration and explanation. With the help of a wonderfully selected set of prints and the mastery of an unusual set of archives, English Lessons manages to make of the familiar story of British imperialism in China something new and startling.”—Marilyn B. Young, Professor of History, New York University