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Product Identifiers

PublisherBasic Books

ISBN-100465025188

ISBN-139780465025183

eBay Product ID (ePID)102976158

Product Key Features

Book TitleChina : a History

Number of Pages608 Pages

LanguageEnglish

TopicCivilization, Ancient / General, Asia / China

Publication Year2011

GenreHistory

AuthorJohn Keay

FormatTrade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Height1.6 in

Item Weight24.5 Oz

Item Length9.2 in

Item Width6 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

Dewey Edition22

Reviews"Absorbingly readable... . A pleasingly cultured account of the great sweep of China's evolution."-- Independent (UK), "Here, at roughly 130 pages per millennium, is China'shistory from the earliest fragments of Xia dynasty to the last emperor, with alittle of Chairman Mao added for good (or bad) luck. Its core, though, coversthe 'big five' dynasties--Han, Tang, Song, Ming and Qing--from 200 BC to thestart of the twentieth century, and Keay's choice is deliberate. There is nounderstanding China present or future without a sense of its past. Much of thatpast, by any standard, is awe-inspiring."-- Observer(UK), "Here, at roughly 130 pages per millennium, is China's history from the earliest fragments of Xia dynasty to the last emperor, with a little of Chairman Mao added for good (or bad) luck. Its core, though, covers the 'big five' dynasties--Han, Tang, Song, Ming and Qing--from 200 BC to the start of the twentieth century, and Keay's choice is deliberate. There is no understanding China present or future without a sense of its past. Much of that past, by any standard, is aweinspiring." -- Observer (UK), " 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."-- Philadelphia Inquirer, "Exquisitely written.... In fluid, effortless prose, Keay moves energetically through the vicissitudes of China's dynastic past."-- Guardian (UK), "Exquisitely written.... In fluid, effortlessprose, Keay moves energetically through the vicissitudes of China's dynasticpast."-- Guardian (UK), "Without sacrificing substance for brevity, Keaymanages to illustrate China's history very much as a narrative of the rise andfall of strong and feeble emperors, bureaucratic cliques and factionalism, thedevelopment of philosophical traditions and religious incarnations, and theconstant restructuring of the empire's geographical boundaries. Readers alreadyinterested in, or wishing newly to embark upon, Chinese history will adore thisbook. Highly recommended."-- Library Journal, "John Keay has written...with unflagging zest, clear, accessible prose, and a refreshingly panoramic perspective." -- Open Letters Monthly, "Without sacrificing substance for brevity, Keay manages to illustrate China's history very much as a narrative of the rise and fall of strong and feeble emperors, bureaucratic cliques and factionalism, the development of philosophical traditions and religious incarnations, and the constant restructuring of the empire's geographical boundaries. Readers already interested in, or wishing newly to embark upon, Chinese history will adore this book. Highly recommended."-- Library Journal, "Absorbingly readable.... A pleasingly cultured account of the great sweep of China's evolution."-- Independent (UK)

Grade FromEighth Grade

Dewey Decimal951

Grade ToCollege Graduate Student

SynopsisAn authoritative account of five thousand years of Chinese history Many nations define themselves in terms of territory or people; China defines itself in terms of history. Taking into account the country's unrivaled, voluminous tradition of history writing, John Keay has composed a vital and illuminating overview of the nation's complex and vivid past. Keay's authoritative history examines 5,000 years in China, from the time of the Three Dynasties through Chairman Mao and the current economic transformation of the country. Crisp, judicious, and engaging, China is the classic single-volume history for anyone seeking to understand the present and future of this immensely powerful nation.