In reviewing China Hands: Nine Decades of Adventure, Espionage and Diplomacy in Asia by James Lilley, James Borton writes:
“James Lilley, a former ambassador to China and agent with the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), was a Cold War soldier. Written with remarkable clarity and conviction, his memoir, China Hands, is about the span of his and his family’s life in China. But now, as the United States struggles to maintain its image amid scandal and lack of support for its war on terror, Lilley’s account also serves as a reminder of the dedication he and others have devoted to serving the US.”