This is not an introduction to Mao. It is a deep dive. In this 2010 book comprising 14 essays by 15 scholars the subjects covered…
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Tag: Chinese History (Books)
Mao Tse Tung (Part 1)
All biographies of Mao focus on his failures and foibles. They magnify his disastrous Hundred Flowers Campaign of Feb 1957, and the Anti-Rightist Movement that…
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Buddhism in China
This 2003 book by John Kieschnick (born 1964) is to my knowledge the latest book on Buddhism in China. It’s an excellent book. John has…
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China & The Age of The Opium War
Rutherfurd’s China is one of my rare forays into Fiction. Published in 2021 it is a grand saga of several characters swept up by the…
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CEO, China: The Rise of Xi Jinping
It is ironic that the Cultural revolution of 1966, which caused untold misery to millions, had some beneficial consequences. It enabled Deng Xiao Ping and …
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Inside the Mind of Xi Jinping
This 2018 book is a slipshod work. It has no footnotes or index. One can’t even check the veracity of his analysis. Save your money.…
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Making China Modern
This 2019 book is the latest substantial history of modern China. It’s by a German scholar. It’s an excellent history well told. Rereading it to…
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The Party: The Secret World of China’s Communist Rulers
Rereading this book for the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party on 1 July 2021, I can’t help but notice that this book while excellent…
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China’s Imperial Past: An Introduction to Chinese History and Culture
Nothing benefits learning more than being associated with the right people. – Hsun Tzu (wade-Giles), Xunzi (pinyin) p v. This is one of the best,…
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Imperial Twilight: The Opium War and the End of China’s Last Golden Age
Platt is a master writer. His book is based on prodigious research. He cites original sources. He describes the city of Canton well in his…
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