China: A History

John Keay is a most compelling and rigorous author. As importantly, his material keeps the reader engaged. I'm not a groupie but having read this and books on India and the East India Company I have more of his material on order as a result. A degree of humour and cynicism runs through some of this book on account of the CPC's efforts to create a racial purity myth that the author challenges with a degree of well researched ease.

An appropriate title, and a very reasonable delivery on a title that presents a daunting task, essentially the chronicling of 6,000 years of history within one volume, and a readable one at that. John Keay leaves no stone unturned, beginning with China's creation myth, and linking this with the essential, underlying theme of "all under Heaven", Keay chronicles the history of the history of the Middle Kingdom from the legendary 5 Emperors, to the modern China of the 21st Century. The organization and structure is handled appropriately, with Chapters being grouped into the respective dynasties, and the sub chapters entitled under the specific cataclysms or milestones within those dynasties. With regard to the distribution of attention and focus on particular periods of figures, a China amateur like myself has no qualification to say whether focus was applied appropriately, however no linchpins are lacking within this volume, and a great sense of the political sociological chances are felt, particularly the evolution of Chinese thought, and the periodic suppressions of Buddhism. A book that is both recommendable to those already acquainted with studies of China, such as myself, or new comers to the field. Even those with an extensive knowledge of the subject would no doubt benefit from a very readable sweep of Chinese history, and John Keay's excellent volume does exactly that.

A tremendously well-researched book which is a plus. It's also well-written with not a little humour. The only problem lies with the amount of detail which makes it heavy going. It is very difficult to remember all the names which, to Western ears, are very difficult to differentiate. It was enjoyable and it was informative but it was also very tiring. Big country, big book.

This book manages to put into words the vast and expansive history of China without becoming convoluted and overly difficult to digest.

China from the prehistoric to the 20C. A long, slow read, academically well researched. Packed with intricate detail that is clearly explained for the benefit of the layperson. The author’s sense of humour saves it from becoming just a textbook.