An excellent survey of modern Chinese history.

Values a strong sense of structure and analysis over wordy narrative diversions, but also maintains a high level of 'readability' - a notoriously difficult balance to strike in history books.

Highly recommended to newcomers of modern Chinese history who want an introduction to what makes China 'tick' without having to slug through wordy paragraphs regarding what Mao's favourite colour was. ( )

This book is what I call a chewy read. John King Fairbank has his own style of writing and it took some getting used to but, boy was it worth it.

When I was in my formative years, Mao was leader of the PRC and was not only something of a mystery, but also as much of a bete noire as his Russian counterpart. We were regularly fed the latest crazy escapade of Mao and it was enough to steer me away from communism for many years. JKF does a sterling job with a gargantuan task; explaining China's history between 1800 and 1985 in a manner that a totally ignorant westerner might comprehend. Fairbank walks the reader through the story with sufficient confidence to take us along with him but, he has an equal supply of modesty making this an ideal starting place for one such as I (the aforementioned ignoramus). This is not a take it or leave it final word on Chinese history, it is a broad brush explanation which gives the reader a background.

Fairbank does not assume any previous knowledge and starts with a helpful chapter explaining where China stood prior to 1800. He then takes us through the failed attempts at replacing the Emperor right through Mao's audacious, and ultimately successful, revolt and the aftermath thereof. Although this book stops at 1985, and there is plenty to learn of china post that date (or at least, so I am told (remember, I'm the ignoramus)), I would suggest that it is vital reading for anyone wanting to develop an understanding of China and its culture. ( )

This was really challenging for me, as someone who doesn't know anything about China. I was determined to get through it, despite having less and less of a clue what was really going on, for its occasional wonderful characters and analyses of social institutions: salt smuggling, footbinding, the Ch'ing Dynasty academic system, etc. But damn it, I misplaced my copy somewhere. I *do* plan to finish it if it turns up. ( )