Lisbon, 1898: Antonio Maria, surgeon and notorious playboy, returns home after a long absence to learn that his beloved father has syphilis, the scourge of both rich and poor. Determined to find a cure, Antonio sets sail for Peking, to study under the renowned Dr Xu. But the Chinese master does not intend to give away his knowledge easily, insisting that Antonio spend four full seasons in the Summer Palace. While learning the Chinese secrets of the human body, Antonio falls in love with Xus assistant, the elusive Fumi. The threat of the Boxer rebellion hangs over Peking, and Antonio and Fumi must decide whether to flee together or remain in China, testing the limits of their love and faith in the human power to cure the dreaded pox. About the Author Kunal Basu was born in Kolkata in 1956. He graduated from Jadavpur University and after his MS and PhD he went on to teach at McGill University in Canada with a brief stint at IIM, Calcutta. He has been teaching at Sad Business School, University of Oxford since 1999. Kunal Basu is the author of three acclaimed novels, The Opium Clerk, The Miniaturist, and Racists; The Japanese Wife, a collection of best-selling short stories also made into a film by celebrated film-maker Aparna Sen and many screen plays and poetry.
