New Delhi, March 30 -- Washington Post technology reporter Eva Dou's House of Huawei promises to unravel the enigma of the Chinese telecom titan Ren Zhengfei, and how he built the world's largest telecommunications equipment company by revenue. That it ends up more like a diligent history lesson than a sharp expose isn't entirely Dou's fault.

The world has been ambiguous about Huawei's status and can't quite make up its mind about it. Add to that its vague ownership as a privately held company, and it is understandable why Dou's book is straightforward and honest, but a little flat. Dou doesn't dig deep or dazzle with analysis; instead, she lays out the saga of Huawei's rise with the earnestness of a corporate biographer. What you get is...