Product Description

An accessible, authoritative single-volume narrative history of China, from the earliest times to the present day, designed both to engage the general reader and to challenge the horizons of the China specialist. Most histories of China appear to have been written by sinologists for sinologists. As China rejoins and perhaps comes to dominate our world order, the need for an authoritative yet engaging history is universally acknowledged. Modelled on the author's own 'India: A History', 'China: A History' is informed by a wide knowledge of the Asian context, an approach devoid of Euro-centric bias, and acclaimed narrative skills. Broadly chronological, the book presents a history of all the Chinas -- including those regions (Yunnan, Tibet, Xinjiang, Mongolia, Manchuria) that account for two thirds of the People's Republic of China land mass but which barely feature in its conventional history (which tends to concentrate on the succession of mainly north China imperial dynasties). The book also examines the many non-Chinese elements in China's history -- the impact of Buddhism, Islam and Christianity; the effects of trade; the nature of 'barbarian' invasion; the relevance of many imperial dynasties being of non-Chinese origin. Major archaeological discoveries in the last two decades afford a chance to flesh out and correct much of the written record. 'China: A History' will tell the epic story from the time of the Three Dynasties (2000-220 BC) to Chairman Mao and the current economic transformation of the country.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25751 in Books
• Published on: 2009-06-25
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

Review
'There is no understanding China, present or future, without a sense of its past!Anybody fascinated by the puzzle of what comes next for our frail, perplexed planet will find unexpected answers in this crisp, often witty chronicle of amazements.' Peter Preston, Observer 'Dynasties lead to world domination: John Keay's forensic analysis of China's history makes the world of the ancient emperors strikingly modern and relevant.' Observer 'Negotiating a narrative path through this turbulent history is the unenviable task that John Keay set himself, and he has produced a valiant, fluently written attempt to condense a sprawling story into a few hundred pages.' Jonathan Wright, Independent on Sunday 'Absorbingly readable' Independent Praise for 'India: a history': 'A delight!one of the best general studies of the subcontinent.' Sunday Times 'Ambitious, colourful and fascinating.' The Times 'It is hard to imagine anyone succeeding more gracefully in producing a balanced overview than John Keay has done in "India: A History"!a book that is as fluent and readable as it is up-to-date and impartial. Hardly a page passes without some fascinating nugget or surprising fact!one can only hope that John Keay's 'India' will be widely read, and its lessons taken to heart.' Guardian 'Certainly the most balanced and lucid history!his passion for India shines through and illuminates every page!puts Keay in the front rank of Indian historiographers.' Spectator

Review
'John Keay...has produced a valiant, fluently written attempt to condense a sprawling story into a few hundred pages.'

Review
'...comprehensive history'

Customer Reviews

A great read that will have you heading for the travel agents
Just what I wanted - an accessible and well written history of the middle kingdom covering the social, political and dynastic history right up to the ascent of Mao. It's got it all; territorial expansion, dynastic struggles, the interplay between Daoism, Buddhism and Confucian values, the Mongols, evolution of technology and literature, opium wars, the Generalisimo etc, What I found particularly interesting were the recurrent themes of the `mandate of heaven', the importance attributed to history in Chinese society and the repeated inability of `new' empires to consolidate gains. However, with so much to cover, no one area is dealt with in great depth and those seeking more detail, about recent history in particular, might wish to look elsewhere.

I've read a couple of other titles by Keay and found his writing style hard work. Happily I cannot say the same for this book, which I've enjoyed reading immensely and learned a great deal in the process. The maps and photos within are clear and informative too. I find it hard to imagine that there are any significantly better single-volume histories of China available.

History Meets Legend
The ability to make history 'come to life' is something many authors of this genre aspire to and few attain. China: A History is written in a style pitched to both inform and entertain. The text is factual, but laced with anecdotes about legends that have grown up in folklore and which have been found to have, at least in part, some verifiable substance. A book designed to give factual details to those who are looking for them and to attract the attention of those with a passing interest in the subject.

Perfect Book
This book is very comprehensive. If you're approaching chinese history from little or no knowledge, this is a good starting point. However, as with all subjects being approached for the first time, it needs to be read in context and alongside other books to give a detailed understanding of the country.
In my opinion, this is best read with a very basic overview of the Chinese language (get a book from the library) and of certain key figures of China's past. This needn't be more than a day's research, although the greater your language knowledge, the better.

Having read this I'm now interested in reading this The Rise of Modern China to provide more detail. After reading that, I intend to read Keay again to make the smaller but crucial details sink in - one reading will always be insufficient for a book of this breadth.

Definitely worthwhile; my only warning would be that its coverage of the modern period (20th cent esp) is inadequate, and needs to be supplemented.