Taipan of the Noble House; Ian Dunross Struans. If these names mean anything to you you’ll probably enjoy this blog post. James Clavell (of Shogun fame) wrote a fabulous novel called Noble House. It was a sequel to the equally impressive novel, Taipan.
These are my two favorite books. I read them as a young adult and have re-read them several times. My wife thinks I’m crazy since I read them so often, but they are inspirational and entertaining for me. They definitely influenced my career path. I have always been enthralled (obsessed) with martial arts and Asian culture. This book, which takes place in Hong Kong, fed that Asian obsession.
When I researched and learned that the novel was loosely based on fact (the business history of a company called Jardine Matheson), I was hooked. I was fascinated with the aspects of global trade & finance along with the dynamics of doing business as a foreigner in Asia. I visited Hong Kong as a 20 year old, have been back numerous times and have loved the city ever since.
Noble House was a mini-series on NBC in 1988 starring Pierce Brosnan. In the mini-series the Jardine House was used as the location of the Noble House. Jardine Matheson is still located in this building. Formerly known as Connaught Center, it is a 52 storey building built in 1972. It is the star of this brief video I took on a recent trip to Hong Kong. Enjoy!
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