The Human Tradition in Premodern China is a collection of biographical essays revealing the variety and complexity of human experience in China from the earliest historical times to the dawn of the modern age. China is a vast country with a long history, and one which is by itself as complex as the history of Europe. This broad expanse of time and space in Chinese history has largely been approached in terms of narrative political and cultural history in most books. The reigns of emperors and the thoughts of the great masters such as Confucius or Laozi have been the principal focus. Yet the history of the Chinese, as with any great people, is built up from the lives of individuals, families, groups, and movements. By presenting life stories of individuals ranging from ancient court diviners to late imperial merchants to women in various periods, this engaging anthology highlights aspects of Chinese social, political and intellectual history not usually addressed. Additionally, The Human Tradition in Premodern China broadens the common image and understanding of society based on the dominant elite male discourse. Rich in new perspective and new scholarship, The Human Tradition in Premodern China is an ideal introduction to Chinese history, East Asian history, and world history.

"Jonah's Judgment," a parable of judgment and justice, is a modern retelling of the story of Jonah and his assignment to bring a warning to the doomed city of Ninevah. Involved is Jonah's dilemma in his duty to God's directive as opposed to his own hatred for Ninevah and its people. The lesson is that the Old Testament God, who is popularly believed to be angry, vengeful and punishing, desires to show mercy whereas the man Jonah, is bound by his own prejudices and sense of judgment; Jonah is self-willed and inflexible in his interpretation of God's system of justice. In this account Jonah spends 40 days traveling about Ninevah announcing the approaching destruction of the city. He confronts a variety of the citizens and leaders of the city with surprising reactions to his message. This parable, based on the O.T. book, "Jonah," believed to have been written in the 9th century B.C., demonstrates the ageless tendency of man to substitute his own concept of justice and God's purposes as seen even today among some of the world's most determined religions. The author, Robert W. Foster, is a retired civil engineer. In his (semi) retirement he continues to provide consulting services in dispute resolution and writes frequently for technical publications in the engineering and surveying disciplines. He has three sons and two grandsons. His wife of 47 years, Margot, died in 2001. He lives in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.