MADISON, CT— On Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m., the Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council (SECWAC) hosts award-winning journalist and author Edward Wong at RJ Julia Booksellers in Madison, Conn. Wong’s talk is titled, ‘At the Edge of Empire: A Family’s Reckoning with China,’ and is an epic story of modern China that weaves a family memoir with vital reporting by a diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times.

In his new book, Wong describes his father’s years posted along China’s frontiers when he was a soldier in the Chinese army under Mao; and his own journey charting China’s acceleration into hard authoritarian rule under Xi Jinping, the current leader. Those dual narratives give us insight into the direction of China and US-China ties, the most consequential relationship of the 21st century. 

At the Edge of Empire was chosen by The Washington Post as one of the best non-fiction books of 2024 and has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, PBS, NPR and BBC, and in The New York Times.

Wong reports on diplomacy and foreign policy for The New York Times from Washington, DC. He has worked for the Times for more than 25 years, 13 of those as a correspondent and bureau chief in Iraq and China. He received a Livingston Award for his coverage of the Iraq War and was on a team of Pulitzer Prize finalists. He was awarded the Edward Weintal Prize from Georgetown University for diplomatic reporting and received an honorary doctorate from Middlebury Language Schools after the publication of his book.

Wong has reported from a cruise in North Korea, a walk through the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan, and the final trans-Atlantic flight of the Concorde. He often travels with the U.S. Secretary of State to cover diplomatic trips.

He has been a Nieman Fellow at Harvard and done fellowships at the Belfer Center of Harvard Kennedy School and the Wilson Center in Washington.

He has taught international reporting as a visiting professor at Princeton and at the University of California at Berkeley, where he serves on the advisory board of the graduate school of journalism.

Wong graduated from the University of Virginia and has joint master’s degrees from U.C. Berkeley.

This presentation is presented in collaboration with RJ Julia Booksellers, located at 768 Boston Post Rd, Madison, CT 06443.

Admission to the event is free but registration is required. Register at this link.

Join the speaker for a post-presentation discussion over dinner at 7:30 p.m. at Steamed, a cozy Chinese eatery in Madison known for its pork soup dumplings, spicy beef noodle soup, and bubble tea. Space is limited, and it will be first come, first served. Register for the dinner at this link.

For more information on SECWAC, visit their website.