The Raider

Praise

“A life well-lived is a work of art. The life of Marine Corps legend Evans Carlson was certainly that, and so too is Stephen R. Platt’s biography, The Raider. This compelling story is meticulously researched and told on a canvas that spans hemispheres, revolutions, and world wars. What a life! What a book!” —Elliot Ackerman, author of Places and Names and 2034

“Evans Carlson’s legacy is both legendary and mythical. Dr. Stephen Platt, an expert in modern Chinese history, cuts through the fabulism to provide an accurate and insightful portrait of Carlson, both as a Marine and as a man. Carefully researched and thoughtfully written, The Raider is highly recommended.” —Frank Kalesnik, former Command Historian, United States Marine Forces, Special Operations Command and Chief Historian, Marine Corps History Division

“Through the life of one man caught, in a way, between the U.S. and China, Stephen R. Platt tells a larger tale about the two countries whose relationship helped shape the last century and which may define this one. A fascinating, moving, and unexpected story.” —Adam Hochschild, author of American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis

“This is a gripping and beautifully written history of the controversial life of General Evans Carlson and his tumultuous times. The book vividly shows Chinese Communist armies fighting against the Imperial Japanese invaders, U.S. Marines launching a daring raid from submarines against a remote Japanese island stronghold in the Pacific Ocean, as well as the delusions of Americans who swooned for Chinese revolutionaries. Stephen Platt gives deep insights into the Pacific theater in World War II, the Chinese Civil War, the forging of the modern U.S. military, and the tangled American encounter with China. Drawing deeply from primary sources, he has produced a rip-roaring tale of battlefield courage and postwar scandal that happens to be all true.” —Gary Bass, author of Judgment at Tokyo: World War II on Trial and the Making of Modern Asia

“When he was stationed in China in the 1930s as its modern state was emerging, Marine Corps icon Evans Carlson saw the genuine possibility of US-China allyship—for which he bravely advocated while critiquing the military-industrial complex, fascist dictators, and drawing the ire of J. Edgar Hoover. This riveting and nuanced biography resurrects a once-beloved American hero whose stalwart moral compass stands out as an example—and exception—to today’s ruling polity.” —Helen Zia, author of Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao’s Revolution

“Rousing . . . Platt’s narrative delivers plenty of blood and guts action while serving as a revealing exploration of the ardent attraction many Westerners felt toward Chinese communism. The result is a gripping, complex study of a military romantic who mixed ruthlessness with idealism.” —Publishers Weekly

“Details the incredible story of Carlson’s life [and] highlights an important period in U.S. relations with China.” —Library Journal (starred review)

“The Raider is more than a biography; it’s a tale of adventure, cultural exchanges gone awry, and one man’s realization of the vast opportunities the world has to offer. This groundbreaking book fills a significant gap in historical literature and is an essential read for casual history enthusiasts and professional historians alike.” —Booklist