Support Us
 
Search
MENUMENU
  • Nonfiction
        • Art
          • Architecture
          • Art History
          • Design, Illustration
          • Fashion & Style
          • Modern and Contemporary Art
          • Photography
        • Business
          • How to Invest
          • Leadership
          • Marketing
        • Economics
          • Behavioural Economics
          • Development Economics
          • Economic History
          • Finance
          • Financial Crisis
          • Globalisation & Inequality
          • World Economies
        • Environment
          • Climate Change
          • Environmental Ethics
        • Food & Cooking
          • Best Cookbooks
          • Food & History of Food
          • Wine & Drinks
        • Health & Lifestyle
          • Death & Dying
          • Education
          • Family & Relationships
          • Happiness
          • Sex & Sexuality
        • History
          • Ancient History
          • Early Modern History
          • Historical Figures
          • Medieval History
          • Modern History
          • Military History
        • Language
          • Grammar & Punctuation
          • Learning Languages
          • Linguistics
        • Law
        • Literary Nonfiction
          • Biography
          • Essays
          • Memoir
          • Famous Artists
          • Travel
          • True Crime
        • Music & Drama
          • Classical Music & Opera
          • Film & Cinema
          • Music
          • Theatre
        • Nature
          • Dinosaurs & the Prehistoric World
          • The Earth
          • Plants, Trees & Flowers
        • Philosophy
          • Ancient Philosophy
          • Ethics & Moral Philosophy
          • Great Philosophers
          • Social & Political Philosophy
        • Politics & Society
          • Conflict & War
          • Feminism
          • Foreign Policy & International Relations
          • Human Rights
          • Terrorism
        • Psychology
          • Mental Health
          • Neuroscience
          • Psychoanalysis
          • Psychology Research
          • Self Help
        • Religion
          • Best Atheist Books
          • Buddhism
          • Christian
          • Islamic
          • Jewish
          • Religious History
        • Science
          • Astronomy
          • Biology
          • Geoscience
          • Maths & Statistics
          • Moon Landing
          • Popular Science
          • Physics
        • Sports, Games & Hobbies
          • Football (Soccer)
          • Hobbies
          • Sport & Sporting Culture
        • Technology
          • Artificial Intelligence
          • Computing
          • Digital Age
          • History of Technology
          • Internet
        • Classical Studies
  • Fiction & Literature
        • Classic English Literature
        • Modern Classics
        • Contemporary Fiction
        • Literary Criticism
        • Literary Figures
        • Romance
        • Comics & Graphic Novels
        • Crime & Mysteries
        • Fairy Tales & Mythology
        • Historical Fiction
        • Horror
        • Humour
        • Memoir
        • Poetry
        • Science Fiction
        • Short Stories
        • Thrillers
  • World
        • Africa
          • Egypt
          • Nigeria
          • Rwanda
          • South Africa
          • Zimbabwe
        • Americas
          • Latin America
            • Argentina
            • Brazil
            • Chile
            • Cuba
            • Mexico
          • United States
          • Canada
        • Arctic & Antarctica
        • Asia
          • Afghanistan
          • Burma
          • China
          • India
          • Japan
          • Korea
          • Pakistan
          • Bangladesh
          • Sri Lanka
          • Singapore
          • Vietnam
        • Australia
        • Europe
          • Belgium
          • Britain
          • France
          • Germany
          • Greece
          • Ireland
          • Italy
          • Netherlands
          • Norway
        • Middle East
          • Iran
          • Iraq
          • Israel
          • Syria
          • Turkey
          • Yemen
        • Russia & FSU
          • Azerbaijan
          • Georgia
          • Russia
          • Ukraine
  • Kids
        • Ages 3-5
        • Ages 6-8
        • Ages 9-12
        • Young Adult
        • Economics
        • Family & Pets
        • Happiness & Mental Health
        • History
        • Music
        • Nature & Environment
        • Novels & Novelists
        • Philosophy
        • Politics & Current Affairs
        • Science
        • Sports
        • By Kids for Kids
  • Best Books of 2019
    • Nonfiction
    • Fiction
    • Crime Fiction
    • Science
    • Math
    • History
    • Biography
    • Economics
    • Self-Help
    • Philosophy
    • Memoir
    • Business
    • Poetry
    • Fiction in Translation
    • Historical Fiction
    • Politics
    • Fiction for Kids
    • Science for Kids
    • Science Fiction
    • Romance
    • Thrillers
  • New Books
    • All
    • Economics
    • Mathematics
    • Philosophy
    • Paperbacks
    • New Editions (of old books)
  • Audiobooks
    • Actors Read Great Books
    • Best Audiobooks for Kids
    • Books Narrated by Their Authors
  • Book Awards
  • Experts
  • Gifts
    • For Book Lovers
    • For Philosophers
    • For Keen Cooks
    • For Classicists
    • For Children
    • For Mathematicians
    • Christmas Books

World » Asia » China

Most Recommended Books

Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong

“It positions the Mongols as this kind of in-touch-with-nature, fierce, warrior people, like wolves, and the Han as these settled ‘sheeple.’”

James Palmer, Foreign Correspondent

Read more

Neither Gods nor Emperors by Craig Calhoun

Hungry Ghosts by Jasper Becker

Analects Confucius (trans. Edward Slingerland)

“This edition is really good at showing both the constructed-ness of the original Analects and the vast exegetical machine that has driven the Chinese philosophical tradition through the centuries.”

Andrew Hui,

Read more

Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics by Yasheng Huang

“Yasheng Huang argues that China’s great strength has been its own entrepreneurial culture and that it has actually stumbled when the state tries to promote its own interests.”

Evan Osnos, Foreign Correspondent

Read more

Browse book recommendations:

Asia

  • Afghanistan
  • Azerbaijan
  • Burma
  • China
  • Georgia
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Japan
  • Middle East
  • North Korea
  • Pakistan
  • Russia
  • Singapore
  • Vietnam

World

  • Africa
  • Americas
  • Arctic & Antarctica
  • Asia
  • Australia
  • Cities
  • Europe

The best books on China, as recommended by some of the most eminent historians and political scientists as well as journalists working on or in China.

China is a complex country that is also rapidly changing. With our interviews about which books to read on China we aim to at least introduce you to the country’s history, economy, literature, poetry and politics, depending on your particular interests. We also have a reading list for Chinese language learners.

If you’re visiting China for the first time, one useful reading list is by New Yorker correspondent Evan Osnos, which was compiled with a first-time traveller to China in mind. For an insider’s view, journalist and author Xinran has a great interview and reading list on understanding China, which is more novel-heavy. (That interview is also available in Chinese)

    The best books on Maoism, recommended by Julia Lovell

  • Read
    The best books on Maoism - Mao’s Last Revolution by Michael Schoenhals & Roderick MacFarquhar

    1

    Mao’s Last Revolution
    by Michael Schoenhals & Roderick MacFarquhar

  • Read
    The best books on Maoism - Maoism at the Grassroots edited by Jeremy Brown and Matthew D. Johnson

    2

    Maoism at the Grassroots
    edited by Jeremy Brown and Matthew D. Johnson

  • Read
    The best books on Maoism - Red Star over China by Edgar Snow

    3

    Red Star over China
    by Edgar Snow

  • Read
    The best books on Maoism - The Bullet and the Ballot Box: The Story of Nepal's Maoist Revolution by Aditya Adhikari

    4

    The Bullet and the Ballot Box: The Story of Nepal's Maoist Revolution
    by Aditya Adhikari

  • Read
    The best books on Maoism - A Critical Introduction to Mao by Timothy Creek

    5

    A Critical Introduction to Mao
    by Timothy Creek

The best books on Maoism, recommended by Julia Lovell

While researching Maoism, China expert Julia Lovell battled against two incorrect assumptions: “firstly that Maoism is a story of China; and secondly that Maoism is a story of the past.” Here she recommends five books for coming to grips with the global, still-relevant impact of Maoism.

    Books every Chinese Language Learner Should Read, recommended by Chris Livaccari

  • Read
    Books every Chinese Language Learner Should Read - The Languages of China by Robert S Ramsey

    1

    The Languages of China
    by Robert S Ramsey

  • Read
    Books every Chinese Language Learner Should Read - The Sextants of Beijing by Joanna Waley-Cohen

    2

    The Sextants of Beijing
    by Joanna Waley-Cohen

  • Read
    Books every Chinese Language Learner Should Read - Wandering on the Way by Books by Zhuangzi (aka Chuang Tzu) & Chuang Tzu

    3

    Wandering on the Way
    by Books by Zhuangzi (aka Chuang Tzu) & Chuang Tzu

  • Read
    Books every Chinese Language Learner Should Read - Diary of a Madman and Other Stories by Lu Xun

    4

    Diary of a Madman and Other Stories
    by Lu Xun

  • Read
    Books every Chinese Language Learner Should Read - The Story of the Stone by Cao Xueqin

    5

    The Story of the Stone
    by Cao Xueqin

Books every Chinese Language Learner Should Read, recommended by Chris Livaccari

China covers a vast territory, and is far more ethnically and culturally diverse than many outsiders assume. Chris Livaccari, a veteran Chinese language teacher, recommends books he believes every Chinese language learner should read.

    The best books on Chinese Philosophy, recommended by Michael Puett

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Philosophy - Analects Confucius (trans. Edward Slingerland)

    1

    Analects
    Confucius (trans. Edward Slingerland)

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Philosophy - The Daodejing by Laozi

    2

    The Daodejing
    by Laozi

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Philosophy - Zhuangzi by Books by Zhuangzi (aka Chuang Tzu)

    3

    Zhuangzi
    by Books by Zhuangzi (aka Chuang Tzu)

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Philosophy - Mengzi: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries by Mengzi

    4

    Mengzi: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries
    by Mengzi

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Philosophy - Xunzi: The Complete Text

    5

    Xunzi: The Complete Text

The best books on Chinese Philosophy, recommended by Michael Puett

What do the sages of ancient China have to teach us about living in the 21st century? The Harvard professor and author of The Path, Michael Puett, recommends the texts you need to read to find out. He picks the best Chinese philosophy books.

    The best books on Religion in China, recommended by Ian Johnson

  • Read
    The best books on Religion in China - The Religious Question in Modern China by Vincent Goossaert and David Palmer

    1

    The Religious Question in Modern China
    by Vincent Goossaert and David Palmer

  • Read
    The best books on Religion in China - Qigong Fever by David Palmer

    2

    Qigong Fever
    by David Palmer

  • Read
    The best books on Religion in China - The Missionary's Curse and Other Tales from a Chinese Catholic Village by Henrietta Harrison

    3

    The Missionary's Curse and Other Tales from a Chinese Catholic Village
    by Henrietta Harrison

  • Read
    The best books on Religion in China - Zen Baggage: A Pilgrimage to China by Bill Porter

    4

    Zen Baggage: A Pilgrimage to China
    by Bill Porter

  • Read
    The best books on Religion in China - Democracy’s Dharma: Religious Renaissance and Political Development in Taiwan by Richard Madsen

    5

    Democracy’s Dharma: Religious Renaissance and Political Development in Taiwan
    by Richard Madsen

The best books on Religion in China, recommended by Ian Johnson

China is a religious country with all kinds of faiths being practised across its vast territories—despite Mao’s attempts to eradicate them. The Chinese Communist Party tolerates a variety of religions but continues to grapple with the potential challenge they pose to its authority. Prize-winning journalist Ian Johnson introduces the best books on the complex topic of religion in China.

    The best books on Chinese Food, recommended by Fuchsia Dunlop

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Food - Classic Food of China by Yan-Kit So

    1

    Classic Food of China
    by Yan-Kit So

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Food - Food in Chinese Culture by KC Chang

    2

    Food in Chinese Culture
    by KC Chang

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Food - The Food of China by EN Anderson

    3

    The Food of China
    by EN Anderson

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Food - China to Chinatown by JAG Roberts

    4

    China to Chinatown
    by JAG Roberts

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Food - The Gourmet by Lu Wenfu

    5

    The Gourmet
    by Lu Wenfu

The best books on Chinese Food, recommended by Fuchsia Dunlop

The English chef who studied cooking in Sichuan tells us that there is no one Chinese cuisine, how Western perceptions of Chinese food are changing, and why carrots are called “barbarian radishes” in Mandarin

    The best books on Confucius, recommended by Daniel A. Bell

  • Read
    The best books on Confucius - Analects Confucius (trans. Edward Slingerland)

    1

    Analects
    Confucius (trans. Edward Slingerland)

  • Read
    The best books on Confucius - Mengzi: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries by Mengzi

    2

    Mengzi: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries
    by Mengzi

  • Read
    The best books on Confucius - Xunzi: The Complete Text

    3

    Xunzi: The Complete Text

  • Read
    The best books on Confucius - The Li Chi or Book of Rites, Part II of II (Forgotten Books) by K'ung-fu Tzu

    4

    The Li Chi or Book of Rites, Part II of II (Forgotten Books)
    by K'ung-fu Tzu

  • Read
    The best books on Confucius - Thinking Through Confucius by David L. Hall, Roger T. Ames

    5

    Thinking Through Confucius
    by David L. Hall, Roger T. Ames

The best books on Confucius, recommended by Daniel A. Bell

As Confucianism makes a comeback in China, Daniel A. Bell, a professor of philosophy at Tsinghua University in Beijing, lists which books to read for an understanding of Confucius and his legacy.

    The best books on The Opium War, recommended by Julia Lovell

  • Read
    The best books on The Opium War - Narcotic Culture by Frank Dikotter, Lars Laamann and Zhou Xun

    1

    Narcotic Culture
    by Frank Dikotter, Lars Laamann and Zhou Xun

  • Read
    The best books on The Opium War - Opium, Empire and the Global Political Economy by Carl Trocki

    2

    Opium, Empire and the Global Political Economy
    by Carl Trocki

  • Read
    The best books on The Opium War - The Opium War by Peter Ward Fay

    3

    The Opium War
    by Peter Ward Fay

  • Read
    The best books on The Opium War - The Inner Opium War by James Polachek

    4

    The Inner Opium War
    by James Polachek

  • Read
    The best books on The Opium War - Britain’s Gulag by Caroline Elkins

    5

    Britain’s Gulag
    by Caroline Elkins

The best books on The Opium War, recommended by Julia Lovell

The 19th century opium war marked the clash of the world’s great empires of the age – Britain and China. Historian Julia Lovell says its legacy of Chinese humiliation is still felt keenly in Beijing.

    The best books on Emerging Markets, recommended by George Magnus

  • Read
    The best books on Emerging Markets - Why The West Rules - For Now: The Patterns of History and what they reveal about the Future by Ian Morris

    1

    Why The West Rules - For Now: The Patterns of History and what they reveal about the Future
    by Ian Morris

  • Read
    The best books on Emerging Markets - Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson

    2

    Why Nations Fail
    by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson

  • Read
    The best books on Emerging Markets - China 2030: Building a Modern, Harmonious, and Creative Society by Development Research Center of the State Council & World Bank

    3

    China 2030: Building a Modern, Harmonious, and Creative Society
    by Development Research Center of the State Council & World Bank

  • Read
    The best books on Emerging Markets - The Rise and Fall of Nations: Forces of Change in the Post-Crisis World by Ruchir Sharma

    4

    The Rise and Fall of Nations: Forces of Change in the Post-Crisis World
    by Ruchir Sharma

  • Read
    The best books on Emerging Markets - Uprising: Will Emerging Markets Shape or Shake the World Economy? by George Magnus

    5

    Uprising: Will Emerging Markets Shape or Shake the World Economy?
    by George Magnus

The best books on Emerging Markets, recommended by George Magnus

What determines whether a country goes backwards or forwards? Why have so few developing countries joined the ranks of rich nations? George Magnus, former chief economist of UBS, chooses books to help us reflect on what it is that societies need in order to be successful.

    The best books on Hong Kong, recommended by Jason Ng

  • Read
    The best books on Hong Kong - Hong Kong by Jan Morris

    1

    Hong Kong
    by Jan Morris

  • Read
    The best books on Hong Kong - Hong Kong Noir: Fifteen true tales from the dark side of the city by Feng Chi-shun

    2

    Hong Kong Noir: Fifteen true tales from the dark side of the city
    by Feng Chi-shun

  • Read
    The best books on Hong Kong - Hotel China by the Hong Kong Writers Circle

    3

    Hotel China
    by the Hong Kong Writers Circle

  • Read
    The best books on Hong Kong - The Heritage Hiker’s Guide to Hong Kong by Pete Spurrier

    4

    The Heritage Hiker’s Guide to Hong Kong
    by Pete Spurrier

  • Read
    The best books on Hong Kong - Ghetto at the Center of the World: Chungking Mansions, Hong Kong by Gordon Mathews

    5

    Ghetto at the Center of the World: Chungking Mansions, Hong Kong
    by Gordon Mathews

The best books on Hong Kong, recommended by Jason Ng

In 2014 Hong Kong’s ‘Umbrella Protests’ made news around the world. But will continuing protests in Hong Kong lead to advances in democracy or crackdowns by Beijing? Jason Ng, lawyer and author of Umbrellas in Bloom, chooses five of the best books for understanding China’s ‘foster child’ city.

    The best books on Minority Survival in China, recommended by James Palmer

  • Read
    The best books on Minority Survival in China - The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia by James C Scott

    1

    The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia
    by James C Scott

  • Read
    The best books on Minority Survival in China - The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China by Mark C Elliott

    2

    The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China
    by Mark C Elliott

  • Read
    The best books on Minority Survival in China - Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong

    3

    Wolf Totem
    by Jiang Rong

  • Read
    The best books on Minority Survival in China - The Sacred Routes of Uyghur History by Rian Thum

    4

    The Sacred Routes of Uyghur History
    by Rian Thum

  • Read
    The best books on Minority Survival in China - Forgotten Kingdom: Lijiang and the Naxi People by Peter Goullart

    5

    Forgotten Kingdom: Lijiang and the Naxi People
    by Peter Goullart

The best books on Minority Survival in China, recommended by James Palmer

China’s minority peoples have shaped the country’s history and its identity. They led its most successful dynasty, the Qing. But nowadays, their role has been reduced to that of tourist spectacle. Beijing-based writer James Palmer picks the best books on China’s ethnic minorities.

    The best books on June 4th, 1989, recommended by Jeffrey Wasserstrom

  • Read
    The best books on June 4th - Neither Gods nor Emperors by Craig Calhoun

    1

    Neither Gods nor Emperors
    by Craig Calhoun

  • Read
    The best books on June 4th - The Pro-Democracy Protests in China: Reports from the Provinces by Jonathan Unger

    2

    The Pro-Democracy Protests in China: Reports from the Provinces
    by Jonathan Unger

  • Read
    The best books on June 4th - New Ghosts, Old Dreams by Geremie Barme and Linda Jaivin

    3

    New Ghosts, Old Dreams
    by Geremie Barme and Linda Jaivin

  • Read
    The best books on June 4th - The People's Republic of Amnesia by Louisa Lim

    4

    The People's Republic of Amnesia
    by Louisa Lim

  • Read
    The best books on June 4th - The Gate of Heavenly Peace by Carma Hinton

    5

    The Gate of Heavenly Peace
    by Carma Hinton

The best books on June 4th, 1989, recommended by Jeffrey Wasserstrom

In contrast to Eastern Europe, the 1989 protests in China did not lead to the overthrow of the Communist Party. But if China’s leaders chose the right course on June 4th, 1989, why are they still frightened to come to terms with it? Sinologist and historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom picks the best books to understand events at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square and around China on that hot summer night.

    The best books on China and the Internet, recommended by Gady Epstein

  • Read
    The best books on China and the Internet - After the Internet, Before Democracy by Johan Lagerqvist

    1

    After the Internet, Before Democracy
    by Johan Lagerqvist

  • Read
    The best books on China and the Internet - The Power of the Internet in China: Citizen Activism Online by Yang Guobin

    2

    The Power of the Internet in China: Citizen Activism Online
    by Yang Guobin

  • Read
    The best books on China and the Internet - Consent of the Networked by Rebecca Mackinnon

    3

    Consent of the Networked
    by Rebecca Mackinnon

  • Read
    The best books on China and the Internet - Marketing Dictatorship by Anne-Marie Brady

    4

    Marketing Dictatorship
    by Anne-Marie Brady

  • Read
    The best books on China and the Internet - Treason by the Book by Jonathan Spence

    5

    Treason by the Book
    by Jonathan Spence

The best books on China and the Internet, recommended by Gady Epstein

The ‘Great Fire Wall of China’. How has the Chinese Communist Party managed to survive the internet? Economist correspondent Gady Epstein chooses books on the world’s most successful case of authoritarian control of the internet.

    The best books on Obstacles to Political Reform in China, recommended by Richard Baum

  • Read
    The best books on Obstacles to Political Reform in China - China’s Trapped Transition by Minxin Pei

    1

    China’s Trapped Transition
    by Minxin Pei

  • Read
    The best books on Obstacles to Political Reform in China - Remaking the Chinese Leviathan by Dali Yang

    2

    Remaking the Chinese Leviathan
    by Dali Yang

  • Read
    The best books on Obstacles to Political Reform in China - Capitalism without Democracy by Kellee Tsai

    3

    Capitalism without Democracy
    by Kellee Tsai

  • Read
    The best books on Obstacles to Political Reform in China - Will the Boat Sink the Water? The Life of China’s Peasants by Chen Guide and Wu Chundao

    4

    Will the Boat Sink the Water? The Life of China’s Peasants
    by Chen Guide and Wu Chundao

  • Read
    The best books on Obstacles to Political Reform in China - Out of Mao’s Shadow by Philip Pan

    5

    Out of Mao’s Shadow
    by Philip Pan

The best books on Obstacles to Political Reform in China, recommended by Richard Baum

The late China specialist and UCLA professor said sometimes he felt genuine admiration for China’s technocratic leaders. Other days he shook his head at their obsessive intransigence and China’s endemic political insecurity

    The best books on China, recommended by Evan Osnos

  • Read
    The best books on China - To Change China by Jonathan D Spence

    1

    To Change China
    by Jonathan D Spence

  • Read
    The best books on China - Tide Players by Jianying Zha

    2

    Tide Players
    by Jianying Zha

  • Read
    The best books on China - Tibet, Tibet by Patrick French

    3

    Tibet, Tibet
    by Patrick French

  • Read
    The best books on China - The Search for a Vanishing Beijing by M A Aldrich

    4

    The Search for a Vanishing Beijing
    by M A Aldrich

  • Read
    The best books on China - Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics by Yasheng Huang

    5

    Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics
    by Yasheng Huang

The best books on China, recommended by Evan Osnos

Travelling to China? What are the best books to read to get a more in-depth understanding of this complex country? Longtime Beijing resident and New Yorker writer Evan Osnos picks some of his favourites.

    Ma Jian on Chinese Dissident Literature

  • Read
    Ma Jian on Chinese Dissident Literature - The Lament by Qu Yuan

    1

    The Lament
    by Qu Yuan

  • Read
    Ma Jian on Chinese Dissident Literature - Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong

    2

    Romance of the Three Kingdoms
    by Luo Guanzhong

  • Read
    Ma Jian on Chinese Dissident Literature - The Real Story of Ah-Q by Lu Xun

    3

    The Real Story of Ah-Q
    by Lu Xun

  • Read
    Ma Jian on Chinese Dissident Literature - One Man’s Bible by Gao Xingjian

    4

    One Man’s Bible
    by Gao Xingjian

  • Read
    Ma Jian on Chinese Dissident Literature - Tombstone by Yang Jisheng

    5

    Tombstone
    by Yang Jisheng

Ma Jian on Chinese Dissident Literature

Writers in China are afraid to criticise the state and society, says London-based author Ma Jian. From the 3rd century BC to 2008, these five exceptional works show how it’s done.

    The best books on Tibet, recommended by Robert Barnett

  • Read
    The best books on Tibet - Japanese Agent in Tibet by Hisao Kimura

    1

    Japanese Agent in Tibet
    by Hisao Kimura

  • Read
    The best books on Tibet - A Tibetan Revolutionary by Melvyn C Goldstein

    2

    A Tibetan Revolutionary
    by Melvyn C Goldstein

  • Read
    The best books on Tibet - The Dragon in the Land of Snows by Tsering Shakya

    3

    The Dragon in the Land of Snows
    by Tsering Shakya

  • Read
    The best books on Tibet - Memories of Life in Lhasa Under Chinese Rule by Tubten Khétsun

    4

    Memories of Life in Lhasa Under Chinese Rule
    by Tubten Khétsun

  • Read
    The best books on Tibet - A Blighted Flower and Other Stories by Riika J Virtanen

    5

    A Blighted Flower and Other Stories
    by Riika J Virtanen

The best books on Tibet, recommended by Robert Barnett

Discussions about Tibet are often reduced to arguments about China’s right to run it. The Tibetologist says this obscures a much more subtle debate about what it means to be Tibetan in modern Tibetan society.

    The best books on China and the US, recommended by Orville Schell

  • Read
    The best books on China and the US - To Change China by Jonathan D Spence

    1

    To Change China
    by Jonathan D Spence

  • Read
    The best books on China and the US - In Search of Wealth of Power by Benjamin Schwartz

    2

    In Search of Wealth of Power
    by Benjamin Schwartz

  • Read
    The best books on China and the US - Hermit of Peking by Hugh Trevor-Roper

    3

    Hermit of Peking
    by Hugh Trevor-Roper

  • Read
    The best books on China and the US - Thunder Out of China by Theodore H White and Annalee Jacoby

    4

    Thunder Out of China
    by Theodore H White and Annalee Jacoby

  • Read
    The best books on China and the US - Chinese Shadows by Simon Leys

    5

    Chinese Shadows
    by Simon Leys

The best books on China and the US, recommended by Orville Schell

The changing relationship between China and America will be one of the defining foreign policy issues of our times. To understand its dynamic, says the sinologist, we must take account of China’s lingering sense of victimhood

    The best books on 100 Years of Modern China, recommended by Rana Mitter

  • Read
    The best books on 100 Years of Modern China - Call to Arms by Lu Xun

    1

    Call to Arms
    by Lu Xun

  • Read
    The best books on 100 Years of Modern China - Two Kinds of Time by Graham Peck

    2

    Two Kinds of Time
    by Graham Peck

  • Read
    The best books on 100 Years of Modern China - Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng

    3

    Life and Death in Shanghai
    by Nien Cheng

  • Read
    The best books on 100 Years of Modern China - Deathsong of the River by Su Xiaokang and Wang Luxiang

    4

    Deathsong of the River
    by Su Xiaokang and Wang Luxiang

  • Read
    The best books on 100 Years of Modern China - The End of the Revolution by Wang Hui

    5

    The End of the Revolution
    by Wang Hui

The best books on 100 Years of Modern China, recommended by Rana Mitter

In October 1911, China’s last imperial dynasty fell. The legacy of that revolution remains deeply ambiguous in today’s People’s Republic. China scholar Rana Mitter tells us about the country’s tumultuous changes from 1911 to the present day.

    The best books on The Decline of the West, recommended by Dambisa Moyo

  • Read
    The best books on The Decline of the West - Civilization by Niall Ferguson

    1

    Civilization
    by Niall Ferguson

  • Read
    The best books on The Decline of the West - The End of the Free Market by Ian Bremmer

    2

    The End of the Free Market
    by Ian Bremmer

  • Read
    The best books on The Decline of the West - The Party by Richard McGregor

    3

    The Party
    by Richard McGregor

  • Read
    The best books on The Decline of the West - This Time Is Different by Carmen Reinhart & Kenneth Rogoff

    4

    This Time Is Different
    by Carmen Reinhart & Kenneth Rogoff

  • Read
    The best books on The Decline of the West - The Net Delusion by Evgeny Morozov

    5

    The Net Delusion
    by Evgeny Morozov

The best books on The Decline of the West, recommended by Dambisa Moyo

The author and economist argues that the West is in decline, the U.S. faces structural unemployment, and authoritarian states like China are in many ways better positioned to deal with financial busts

    The best books on Classical Chinese Poetry, recommended by Qiu Xiaolong

  • Read
    The best books on Classical Chinese Poetry - A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems by Arthur Waley & Qiu Xiaolong

    1

    A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems
    by Arthur Waley & Qiu Xiaolong

  • Read
    The best books on Classical Chinese Poetry - Cold Mountain by Burton Watson

    2

    Cold Mountain
    by Burton Watson

  • Read
    The best books on Classical Chinese Poetry - Classical Chinese Poetry by David Hinton

    3

    Classical Chinese Poetry
    by David Hinton

  • Read
    The best books on Classical Chinese Poetry - Chinese Poetry by Wai-lim Yip

    4

    Chinese Poetry
    by Wai-lim Yip

  • Read
    The best books on Classical Chinese Poetry - Mountain Songs by Gary Flint

    5

    Mountain Songs
    by Gary Flint

The best books on Classical Chinese Poetry, recommended by Qiu Xiaolong

The translator, poet and author of the best-selling Inspector Chen series, Qiu Xiaolong, says there is no one road when it comes to translating Chinese poetry. He chooses five anthologies that capture its magic.

    The best books on Chinese Life Stories, recommended by Jeffrey Wasserstrom

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Life Stories - The Talented Women of the Zhang Family by Susan Mann

    1

    The Talented Women of the Zhang Family
    by Susan Mann

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Life Stories - Heart of Buddha, Heart of China by James Carter

    2

    Heart of Buddha, Heart of China
    by James Carter

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Life Stories - Mao Zedong by Jonathan Spence

    3

    Mao Zedong
    by Jonathan Spence

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Life Stories - Confessions: An Innocent Life in Communist China by Kang Zhengguo

    4

    Confessions: An Innocent Life in Communist China
    by Kang Zhengguo

  • Read
    The best books on Chinese Life Stories - Factory Girls by Leslie T Chang

    5

    Factory Girls
    by Leslie T Chang

The best books on Chinese Life Stories, recommended by Jeffrey Wasserstrom

The historian and China specialist says that to get a real sense of the country you need to focus on individuals and their stories. Here he chooses five books that draw on China’s long tradition of biographical writing

    The best books on The Chinese Economy, recommended by Victor Shih

  • Read
    The best books on The Chinese Economy - Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics by Yasheng Huang

    1

    Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics
    by Yasheng Huang

  • Read
    The best books on The Chinese Economy - Red Capitalism by Carl Walter and Fraser Howie

    2

    Red Capitalism
    by Carl Walter and Fraser Howie

  • Read
    The best books on The Chinese Economy - The Chinese Economy by Barry Naughton

    3

    The Chinese Economy
    by Barry Naughton

  • Read
    The best books on The Chinese Economy - The Political Logic of Economic Reform in China by Susan Shirk

    4

    The Political Logic of Economic Reform in China
    by Susan Shirk

  • Read
    The best books on The Chinese Economy - Analysing Chinese Grey Income by Wang Xiaolu

    5

    Analysing Chinese Grey Income
    by Wang Xiaolu

The best books on The Chinese Economy, recommended by Victor Shih

Victor Shih's selection highlights rising inequality, economic irregularity and political heavy-handedness at the heart of modern China. As its economy blazes on, uncertain times may be looming

    The best books on Life in China, recommended by Marianne Bastid-Bruguière

  • Read
    The best books on Life in China - The Water Margin by Shi Naian, translated by J M Jackson

    1

    The Water Margin
    by Shi Naian, translated by J M Jackson

  • Read
    The best books on Life in China - Six Records of a Floating Life by Shen Fu

    2

    Six Records of a Floating Life
    by Shen Fu

  • Read
    The best books on Life in China - Stones in the Sea by Fu Lin, translated Patrick Hanan

    3

    Stones in the Sea
    by Fu Lin, translated Patrick Hanan

  • Read
    The best books on Life in China - Rickshaw by Lao She, translated by Jean M James

    4

    Rickshaw
    by Lao She, translated by Jean M James

  • Read
    The best books on Life in China - The Corpse Walker by Liao Yiwu

    5

    The Corpse Walker
    by Liao Yiwu

The best books on Life in China, recommended by Marianne Bastid-Bruguière

The renowned sinologist and holder of the Legion D’Honneur reflects on Chinese attitudes towards life. Discusses the five books she feels gives the reader the best all-round appreciation of Chinese society

    The best books on Understanding China, recommended by Xinran

  • Read
    The best books on Understanding China - Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin

    1

    Dream of the Red Chamber
    by Cao Xueqin

  • Read
    The best books on Understanding China - The Spirit of the Chinese People by Hung-ming Ku

    2

    The Spirit of the Chinese People
    by Hung-ming Ku

  • Read
    The best books on Understanding China - My Country and My People by Lin Yutang

    3

    My Country and My People
    by Lin Yutang

  • Read
    The best books on Understanding China - Explosions and Other Stories by Mo Yan

    4

    Explosions and Other Stories
    by Mo Yan

  • Read
    The best books on Understanding China - To Live by Yu Hua

    5

    To Live
    by Yu Hua

The best books on Understanding China, recommended by Xinran

What books should we read to understand China — its culture, its history? Chinese writer Xinran picks her five favourites. You can read this interview in Chinese by clicking here.

    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis, recommended by Isabel Hilton

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis - The River Runs Black by Elizabeth Economy

    1

    The River Runs Black
    by Elizabeth Economy

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis - Mao's War Against Nature by Judith Shapiro

    2

    Mao's War Against Nature
    by Judith Shapiro

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis - The Retreat of the Elephants by Mark Elvin

    3

    The Retreat of the Elephants
    by Mark Elvin

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis - Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong

    4

    Wolf Totem
    by Jiang Rong

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis - China's Water Crisis (Voices of Asia) by Ma Jun

    5

    China's Water Crisis (Voices of Asia)
    by Ma Jun

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis - Hungry Ghosts by Jasper Becker

    6

    Hungry Ghosts
    by Jasper Becker

The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis, recommended by Isabel Hilton

Editor of the website China Dialogue, Isabel Hilton says the evidence of environmental disaster in China is dramatic. Discusses five of the most influential books on environmentalism in China

    The best books on The Chinese Communist Party, recommended by Richard McGregor

  • Read
    The best books on The Chinese Communist Party - Chinese Shadows by Simon Leys

    1

    Chinese Shadows
    by Simon Leys

  • Read
    The best books on The Chinese Communist Party - Chinese Lessons by John Pomfret

    2

    Chinese Lessons
    by John Pomfret

  • Read
    The best books on The Chinese Communist Party - Operation Yao Ming by Brook Larmer

    3

    Operation Yao Ming
    by Brook Larmer

  • Read
    The best books on The Chinese Communist Party - The Enigma of Japanese Power by Karel van Wolferen

    4

    The Enigma of Japanese Power
    by Karel van Wolferen

  • Read
    The best books on The Chinese Communist Party - A Case of Two Cities by Qiu Xiaolong

    5

    A Case of Two Cities
    by Qiu Xiaolong

The best books on The Chinese Communist Party, recommended by Richard McGregor

Former Beijing bureau chief of the Financial Times shares his insights on the Chinese Communist Party – from the absolute horror at the destruction of Maoist times, to Yao Ming, to political power structures and more

    The best books on The Cultural Revolution, recommended by Roderick MacFarquhar

  • Read
    The best books on The Cultural Revolution - Fractured Rebellion by Andrew Walder

    1

    Fractured Rebellion
    by Andrew Walder

  • Read
    The best books on The Cultural Revolution - The Chinese Cultural Revolution as History by Joseph Esherick, Pickowicz & Walder

    2

    The Chinese Cultural Revolution as History
    by Joseph Esherick, Pickowicz & Walder

  • Read
    The best books on The Cultural Revolution - Proletarian Power by Elizabeth Perry & Elizabeth Perry and Li Xun

    3

    Proletarian Power
    by Elizabeth Perry & Elizabeth Perry and Li Xun

  • Read
    The best books on The Cultural Revolution - The Tragedy of Lin Biao by Frederick Teiwes & Warren Sun

    4

    The Tragedy of Lin Biao
    by Frederick Teiwes & Warren Sun

  • Read
    The best books on The Cultural Revolution - Blood Red Sunset by Ma Bo

    5

    Blood Red Sunset
    by Ma Bo

The best books on The Cultural Revolution, recommended by Roderick MacFarquhar

Countries do have to come to terms with their own history, and it’s unhealthy that China has not yet come to terms with the Cultural Revolution, argues the West’s leading scholar of the period, Roderick MacFarquhar. He chooses the best five books on the Cultural Revolution.

    The best books on China’s Darker Side, recommended by Harry Wu

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Darker Side - Hungry Ghosts by Jasper Becker

    1

    Hungry Ghosts
    by Jasper Becker

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Darker Side - Mao by Jung Chang, Jon Halliday

    2

    Mao
    by Jung Chang, Jon Halliday

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Darker Side - Wild Swans by Jung Chang

    3

    Wild Swans
    by Jung Chang

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Darker Side - War Trash by Ha Jin

    4

    War Trash
    by Ha Jin

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Darker Side - China after Deng Xiaoping by Willy Wo-Lap Lam

    5

    China after Deng Xiaoping
    by Willy Wo-Lap Lam

The best books on China’s Darker Side, recommended by Harry Wu

Activist Harry Wu spent 19 years in Mao’s labour camps and devoted years to uncovering what goes on in China’s ‘laogai’ or ‘reform-through-labour’ camps. He picks five books showing China’s darker side.

    The best books on China in the World Economy, recommended by Kent Deng

  • Read
    The best books on China in the World Economy - Growth Recurring by E L Jones

    1

    Growth Recurring
    by E L Jones

  • Read
    The best books on China in the World Economy - China Transformed by R Bin Wong

    2

    China Transformed
    by R Bin Wong

  • Read
    The best books on China in the World Economy - The Great Divergence by Kenneth Pomeranz

    3

    The Great Divergence
    by Kenneth Pomeranz

  • Read
    The best books on China in the World Economy - ReORIENT by Andre Gunder Frank

    4

    ReORIENT
    by Andre Gunder Frank

  • Read
    The best books on China in the World Economy - The Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation by John M Hobson

    5

    The Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation
    by John M Hobson

The best books on China in the World Economy, recommended by Kent Deng

Professor Kent Deng says there are no grounds for Eurocentricism in explaining the world history of economic growth. Intensive growth of the modern type was first recorded in Song dynasty China

    The best books on Uyghur Nationalism, recommended by Michael Dillon

  • Read
    The best books on Uyghur Nationalism - Inner Asian Frontiers of China by Owen Lattimore

    1

    Inner Asian Frontiers of China
    by Owen Lattimore

  • Read
    The best books on Uyghur Nationalism - Pivot of Asia by Owen Lattimore

    2

    Pivot of Asia
    by Owen Lattimore

  • Read
    The best books on Uyghur Nationalism - Return to Kashghar by Gunnar Jarring

    3

    Return to Kashghar
    by Gunnar Jarring

  • Read
    The best books on Uyghur Nationalism - Warlords and Muslims in Chinese Central Asia by Andrew D. Forbes

    4

    Warlords and Muslims in Chinese Central Asia
    by Andrew D. Forbes

  • Read
    The best books on Uyghur Nationalism - Xinjiang

    5

    Xinjiang

The best books on Uyghur Nationalism, recommended by Michael Dillon

Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University and author of Xinjiang: China’s Muslim Far Northwest, suggests background reading on the Xinjiang Uyghur region and asks why the recent nationalist violence has surprised us

    The best books on Popular Protest in China, recommended by Elizabeth Perry

  • Read
    The best books on Popular Protest in China - Red Star over China by Edgar Snow

    1

    Red Star over China
    by Edgar Snow

  • Read
    The best books on Popular Protest in China - The Origins of the Boxer Uprising by Joseph W. Esherick

    2

    The Origins of the Boxer Uprising
    by Joseph W. Esherick

  • Read
    The best books on Popular Protest in China - Son of the Revolution by Liang Heng, Judith Shapiro

    3

    Son of the Revolution
    by Liang Heng, Judith Shapiro

  • Read
    The best books on Popular Protest in China - Neither Gods nor Emperors by Craig Calhoun

    4

    Neither Gods nor Emperors
    by Craig Calhoun

  • Read
    The best books on Popular Protest in China - Against the Law by Ching Kwan Lee

    5

    Against the Law
    by Ching Kwan Lee

The best books on Popular Protest in China, recommended by Elizabeth Perry

To fully understand unrest in China today you have to go back to the 1930s and the circumstances which led to the Chinese Communist Party taking power, says Harvard political scientist Elizabeth Perry. She recommends the best books on popular protest in China.

About

We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

This site has an archive of more than one thousand interviews, or five thousand book recommendations. We publish at least two new interviews per week.

Five Books participates in the Amazon Associate program and earns money from qualifying purchases.

Newsletter Contact us Privacy Policy Terms of Service

© Five Books 2019