The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang

​Iris Chang’s The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II is one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve put it down. It covers the horrifying events of the Nanking Massacre in 1937, when Japanese forces invaded the city and carried out brutal killings, mass rape, and unimaginable violence against civilians and prisoners. This isn’t an easy book to read, but it’s an important one.

Chang does an incredible job of making sure this piece of history isn’t forgotten. She breaks it down into three perspectives—the victims, the Japanese soldiers who committed these atrocities, and the foreigners who tried to help. This structure makes the book even more powerful, showing not just what happened but also how it was later covered up or denied.

The book has faced some controversy, particularly from those who deny or downplay the massacre, and it has even been banned in some schools. Some argue it's too graphic or politically sensitive, but honestly, history should make us uncomfortable—especially when it involves crimes like this. Banning books like this only makes it easier for history to be forgotten or rewritten.

That said, some historians have pointed out a few factual errors, and the book has been criticized for emotional intensity over academic neutrality. But that’s part of what makes it so impactful—Chang doesn’t just present facts; she makes you feel the weight of what happened.
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This is a tough but necessary read. If you care about history, justice, and making sure tragedies like this aren’t erased, it’s worth picking up. Just be prepared—it’s not something you can breeze through.

Download the eBook with your SPL card. If you prefer a hard copy, talk to us about interlibrary loan.

​Aimee Clark, IT Librarian