From Peasant to Emperor：The Life of Liu Bang（從農民到皇帝：劉邦的一生）

When Liu Bang, the eponymous protagonist of this novel, set out to conquer all under Heaven, he was already 47 years old. A medium-built, foul-mouthed peasant with a reputation as a ne’er-do-well, a womanizer, and a drunkard, who, though literate, never cared much about literature, he seemed to have a slim chance at success at a time when all the heroes in the realm contended for power and dominance. Against all odds, he defeated his rivals to found the Han dynasty, and quelled the numerous rebellions that challenged his rule.

本書以史實與故事兼容之手法，描述歷史人物劉邦以平民出身，卻能扭轉情勢爭奪天下的經過。

Victor Cunrui Xiong received his Ph. D. in Asian History from the Australian National University (1989), taught history at the University of Iowa, and is at present professor of history at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Among his scholarly publications are

Routledge Handbook of Imperial Chinese History (ed. with Kenneth Hammond) (Routledge)
A Study of Capital Cities and Urban Form in Premodern China: Luoyang 1038 BCE–938 CE (Routledge)
Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty: His Life, Times, and Legacy (SUNY)
"Sui-Tang Chang'an: A Study in the Urban History of Medieval China" (U of Michigan)
Historical Dictionary of Medieval China, 2nd edition (Rowman & Littlefield)

His annotated translation of the 8th century Chinese masterpiece on historiography, the Shitong, will be published by University of Washington Press.

He appears in a documentary by NHNZ and Discovery Channel entitled "Man Made Marvels: China's Forgotten City," which is in part based on his book on Chang'an.

He is also the author of Heavenly Khan, a historical novel based on the true story of Li Shimin (also known as Tang Taizong).

Contents
Author’s Note
Maps
Ban Gu
Dedicatory Letter
Part I. Turmoil under Heaven
Part II. The Chu-Han War
Part III. The Emperor
Bibliography
Chronology
Glossary

Praises for Heavenly Khan:
An engrossing fictionalized history that examines an ingenious and powerful Chinese ruler.
--Kirkus Reviews

A new historical legend to stand alongside Alexander the Great and Napoleon.
--San Francisco Book Review

A deftly written and truly riveting work from beginning to end, Heavenly Khan: A Biography of Emperor Tang Taizong is an extraordinary and solidly entertaining story that reveals author Victor Cunrui Xiong to be an exceptional and impressive novelist of the first order.
--Midwest Book Review