China: A History - Hardcover

Keay, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0465015808 ISBN 13: 9780465015801

Publisher: Basic Books, 2009

Synopsis

Many nations define themselves in terms of territory or people; China defines itself in terms of history. With the worlds longest tradition of history-writing, its extraordinary past ought to be common knowledge. China, by the eminent historian John Keay, should make it so. Informed by the latest research and enlivened by wit and anecdote, Keays narrative spans 5,000 years, from the Three Dynasties (2000220 BC) to Deng Xiaopings opening of China and the past three decades of economic growth. Broadly chronological, the book presents a history of all the Chinasincluding regions (Yunnan, Tibet, Xinjiang, Mongolia, Manchuria) that account for two-thirds of the Peoples Republic of China land mass but which barely feature in its conventional history. Crisp, judicious, and engaging, China is destined to become the classic single-volume history for anyone seeking to understand the past, present, and future of this immensely powerful nation.

About this title

Review:

Library Journal
“Without sacrificing substance for brevity, Keay manages to illustrate China’s history very much as a narrative... Readers already interested in, or wishing newly to embark upon, Chinese history will adore this book. Highly recommended.”

Philadelphia Inquirer
“China: A History marks a welcome advance... [Keay’s] touch is deft and faithful to the tenor of the debates, especially those between archaeologists and literary scholars.”

About the Author:

John Keay, formerly a special correspondent for The Economist, contributes regularly to the Sunday Telegraph, Times Higher Educational Supplement, and the Literary Review. The author of numerous books, including the classic India: A History, he lives in Argyll, Scotland.

About this edition

• Publisher: Basic Books
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0465015808
• ISBN 13: 9780465015801
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 642