A Concise History of China

"A Concise History of China" has a great approach to summarizing the past 3000 years of chinese history with appropriate comparisons to other nations such as Great Britain, France, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Russia, Portugal, Germany, Italy, and the United States. The book is filled with facts, and is complimented by Ebrey's "Cambridge Illustrated History of China" which discusses individual topics in less detail, but gives a better picture in its entirety.

J.A.G. Roberts' A Concise History of China is an introduction to China for a China ready to join the World Trade Organization. China is not an enigna or special case, but a microcosm of the world as a whole. Roberts' contribution is, that he undermines the notion of a unified Chinese culture or region. Roberts most memorable chapters recount the disparate states which rose and fell, some contemporaneously, and the foreign influences always ar work on them. China is revealed as a continent of many nations, not as a monolithic and eternal concept.Roberts' book is also well balanced, and his chapters, instead of following dynastic changes, roughly divide Chinese history into equal time periods. His polemical acumen is considerable, and his chapters are full pf debates between Western and modern Chinese historians. If there is one period where his skills are lacking, it is the immediate past, and the last pages are disappointing.This is a relevant introduction to Chinese history, that places China historically in the world, and within its own worlds.

This book is an excellent starting point for delving into Chinese history. From this book I was able to get a cursory understanding of the creation and evolution of the Chinese state and society. Although Chinese history is massive, this 300-page book manages to navigate the reader though the labyrinth without getting bogged in details and most importantly without losing the reader. This is no easy feat.

J.A.G. Roberts' A Concise History Of China refers to recent archaeological finds as it provides a new updated interpretation of China's early history. College-level readers will find it provides the latest ideas on Chinese history and culture, promising to appeal to libraries seeking the latest facts and information for their collections.

This is certainly one of the best and, obviously, concise pieces of work which attempts to convey the long history of a massive country. Roberts style is friendly and quite readable and will definitely point out areas of Chinese history in which you will want to delve more deeply. It works as a great starter point for all those who wish to learn more about or know nothing about Chinese history. Bear in mind that it is only an abridged version of a complex subject, and it may leave you wanting more information. An enjoyable informative read.