Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
For anyone eager to discover the country behind today's headlines, internationally respected sinologist Linda Jaivin distills the complete history of China into a short, smart, entertaining account that charts the Middle Kingdom's tumultuous journey--from ancient dynastic rule to modern superpower status under Xi Jinping. Once known as the Middle Kingdom, China is a much-storied land, full of heroes and villains, prosperous ages and violent rebellions, cultural vibrancy and censorious impulses. For centuries, China led the world in science, technology, astronomy, and math. The Chinese invented porcelain, silk, gunpowder, and the magnetic compass, among other things. In the twentieth century, China saw the rise of communism under Chairman Mao and the bloody Cultural Revolution.
China today is just as multifaceted: Depending on what you read, it is an economic powerhouse; a beacon of rapid urbanization and industrialization; a top travel destination filled with cultural and natural beauty; a secretive political state rife with propaganda; one of the globe's worst environmental polluters; an aggressive geopolitical player seeking world domination.
As we enter "the Asian Century," China--now considered a modern superpower--increasingly demands our attention. As Nicholas Kristof recently wrote in the New York Times, "China is a complex and contradictory place, not a caricature" that requires our fuller understanding. In The Shortest History of China, Linda Jaivin, an expert in Chinese politics, language, and culture, distills a vast history into a compact, riveting account that tells us what we really need to know about the Middle Kingdom--from its philosophical origins to its political systems--and its current position on the world stage.
Synopsis
Journey at a thrilling clip across the epic history of China--through millennia of early innovation to modern dominance As we enter the "Asian Century," China increasingly demands our attention--as an economic powerhouse, a beacon of rapid modernization, and an assertive geopolitical player. Yet, from kung fu to tofu, tea to trade routes, and sages to silk, Chinese philosophy, commerce, and innovation have influenced our world for thousands of years. Linda Jaivin distills China's vast history into a short, freshly relevant account that crisscrosses this much-storied land and introduces such unforgettable personalities as:
- Confucius, intrepid traveler and moral adviser
- Li Bai, great Tang poet and celebrity of his time
- Empress Dowager Cixi, effective ruler of the Qing for nearly 50 years
- Mao Zedong, communist revolutionary and founder of the People's Republic
Globally minded readers will find everything they need to know about this rising superpower: the rarely told story of women in China, from the earliest warriors to twentieth-century suffragettes; China's path from its tribal origins to the modern Communist Party under Xi Jinping; and the historical specters of corruption and disunity that continue to haunt the nation today.
Synopsis
Journey across China's epic history--through millennia of early innovation to modern dominance As we enter the "Asian century," China demands our attention for being an economic powerhouse, a beacon of rapid modernization, and an assertive geopolitical player. To understand the nation behind the headlines, we must take in its vibrant, tumultuous past--a story of "larger-than-life characters, philosophical arguments and political intrigues, military conflicts and social upheavals, artistic invention and technological innovation."
The Shortest History of China charts a path from China's tribal origins through its storied imperial era and up to the modern Communist Party under Xi Jinping--including the rarely told story of women in China and the specters of corruption and disunity that continue to haunt the People's Republic today. A master storyteller and exacting historian, Linda Jaivin distills this vast history into a short, riveting account that today's globally minded readers will find indispensable.
Synopsis
Journey across China's epic history--through millennia of early innovation to modern dominance. And upcoming from The Shortest History Series--The Shortest History of England As we enter the "Asian century," China demands our attention for being an economic powerhouse, a beacon of rapid modernization, and an assertive geopolitical player. To understand the nation behind the headlines, we must take in its vibrant, tumultuous past--a story of "larger-than-life characters, philosophical arguments and political intrigues, military conflicts and social upheavals, artistic invention and technological innovation."
The Shortest History of China charts a path from China's tribal origins through its storied imperial era and up to the modern Communist Party under Xi Jinping--including the rarely told story of women in China and the specters of corruption and disunity that continue to haunt the People's Republic today. A master storyteller and exacting historian, Linda Jaivin distills this vast history into a short, riveting account that today's globally minded readers will find indispensable.
Synopsis
Journey across epic China--through millennia of early innovation to modern dominance. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting fast-paced read. As we enter the "Asian century," China demands our attention for being an economic powerhouse, a beacon of rapid modernization, and an assertive geopolitical player. To understand the nation behind the headlines, we must take in its vibrant, tumultuous past--a story of "larger-than-life characters, philosophical arguments and political intrigues, military conflicts and social upheavals, artistic invention and technological innovation."
The Shortest History of China charts a path from China's tribal origins through its storied imperial era and up to the modern Communist Party under Xi Jinping--including the rarely told story of women in China and the specters of corruption and disunity that continue to haunt the People's Republic today. A master storyteller and exacting historian, Linda Jaivin distills this vast history into a short, riveting account that today's globally minded readers will find indispensable.
Synopsis
As we enter the "Asian century," China demands our attention for being an economic powerhouse, a beacon of rapid modernization, and an assertive geopolitical player. To understand the nation behind the headlines, we must take in its vibrant, tumultuous past--a story of "larger-than-life characters, philosophical arguments and political intrigues, military conflicts and social upheavals, artistic invention and technological innovation."
The Shortest History of China charts a path from China's tribal origins through its storied imperial era and up to the modern Communist Party under Xi Jinping--including the rarely told story of women in China and the specters of corruption and disunity that continue to haunt the People's Republic today. A master storyteller and exacting historian, Linda Jaivin distills this vast history into a short, riveting account that today's globally minded readers will find indispensable.