Challenging the contemporary understanding of Vietnamese history and culture... this work makes it clearer than ever that there was no definite boundary between court culture and rural culture, and between 'Chinese' and 'Vietnamese.' It is even more admirable that such significant findings are carefully annotated and cross-referenced with an enormous body of sources. This is a first-class piece which marks a new stage in Vietnamese studies.
Journal of Southeast Asian Studies
Olga Dror clearly demonstrates tremendous skill and intelligence in the numerous notes that she has appended to the translation.... The ultimate treasure in this book, however, is Adriano di St. Thecla's treatise and its depiction of the religious world of eighteenth-century Tonkin.... The details that Adriano di St. Thecla provides in describing some of these Confucian rituals make this work one of a kind.... The other great strength of the book is the direct way it challenges the manner in which so many of us have been programmed to view the premodern history, culture, and religious practices of this part of the world.
Journal of the Siam Society
Dror renders the Latin text accessible to researchers and general readers alike with a highly informative translator's introduction and extensive annotations. Clearly, this is a labour of love and so it will be appreciated and remembered for a long time to come.
Sojourn