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Jeffrey N. Wasserstrom
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China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know 1st Edition

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 113 ratings
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The need to understand this global giant has never been more pressing: China is constantly in the news, yet conflicting impressions abound. Within one generation, China has transformed from an impoverished, repressive state into an economic and political powerhouse. In China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know, Jeffrey Wasserstrom provides cogent answers to the most urgent questions regarding the newest superpower and offers a framework for understanding its meteoric rise.

Focusing his answers through the historical legacies--Western and Japanese imperialism, the Mao era, and the massacre near Tiananmen Square--that largely define China's present-day trajectory, Wasserstrom introduces readers to the Chinese Communist Party, the building boom in Shanghai, and the environmental fall-out of rapid Chinese industrialization. He also explains unique aspects of Chinese culture such as the one-child policy, and provides insight into how Chinese view Americans.

Wasserstrom reveals that China today shares many traits with other industrialized nations during their periods of development, in particular the United States during its rapid industrialization in the 19th century. Finally, he provides guidance on the ways we can expect China to act in the future vis-à-vis the United States, Russia, India, and its East Asian neighbors.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0195394127
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0195394122
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  5. Publication date
    April 16, 2010
  6. Part of series
    What Everyone Needs To Know?
  7. Language
    English
  8. Dimensions
    8.1 x 0.5 x 5.4 inches
  9. Print length
    192 pages
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

WHAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW About This Series

Who it's for:

Busy people with diverse interests, ranging from college students to professionals, who wish to inform themselves in a succinct yet authoritative manner about a particular topic.

What's inside:

An incisive approach to a complex and timely issue, laid out in a straight-forward, question-and-answer format.

Meet Our Authors

Top experts in their given fields, ranging from an Economist correspondent to a director at the Council on Foreign Relations, you can trust our authors’ expertise and guidance.

Popular Topics in the "What Everyone Needs to Know" Series

  • International Politics
  • Environmental Policies
  • World History
  • Sciences & Math
  • Religion & Spirituality

Review

"Wasserstrom has accomplished a remarkable feat: melding the insights from deep scholarly immersion in history with an up-to-the-minute grasp on contemporary developments in China and beyond. Written in a crisp prose,...questions big and small, alarmingly complex and deceptively simple--from who Confucius was to how the Communists defeated the Nationalists and whether China was bent on world domination--are answered with aplomb and precision.... I for one am grateful to have this little book in hand when I greet the next round of fresh-faced undergraduates coming to my classes wishing to know something about 'China.'"--Haiyan Lee, Stanford University

"Wasserstrom is a sure-footed guide through the thickets of China's history and the turbo-driven landscape of its current affairs. Indispensable reading."--Andrew Ross, author of Fast Boat to China: Lessons from Shanghai

"Readers who know a fair bit about China already will be left better informed, looking at what they already knew in another light. Readers new to the subject couldn't start in a better place."--Urbanatomy.com

"Wasserstrom, a preeminent scholar of Chinese history, here provides a useful resource for those who want a greater understanding of the how and why of China's emergence as a global power."--Library Journal

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 1st edition (April 16, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0195394127
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0195394122
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.1 x 0.5 x 5.4 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 113 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Jeffrey N. Wasserstrom

    Jeffrey N. Wasserstrom

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Jeffrey Wasserstrom is the author of four books on China and the editor or co-editor of several more, including most recently Chinese Characters: Profiles of Fast-Changing Lives in a Fast-Changing Land, which contains chapters by both fellow academics and such acclaimed journalists as Peter Hessler, Leslie T. Chang, Evan Osnos, and Ian Johnson. Wasserstrom is a Professor of History at the University of California, Irvine and the Editor of the Journal of Asian Studies. He is also the Asia editor of the Los Angeles Review of Books, an Associate Fellow of the Asia Society, and a co-founder of the "China Beat" blog.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Maura Elizabeth Cunningham

    Maura Elizabeth Cunningham

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Maura Elizabeth Cunningham is a writer and historian of modern China. She is a graduate of Saint Joseph’s University (B.A., 2004), Yale University (M.A., 2006), the Hopkins-Nanjing Center for Chinese and American Studies (graduate certificate, 2008), and the University of California, Irvine (Ph.D., 2014), as well as Chinese language programs in Beijing and Hangzhou.

    Maura was the editor-in-chief of The China Beat, a blog based at UC Irvine, between 2009 and 2012, and associate editor of ChinaFile during a fellowship at the Asia Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations in 2011-12. After receiving her Ph.D., Maura joined the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations in New York to co-direct its Public Intellectuals Program; in 2016, she moved to Ann Arbor, MI to become the first Digital Media Manager of the Association for Asian Studies.

    As a writer, her work has appeared at the Wall Street Journal's China Real Time blog, the Financial Times, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and other publications. She is the co-author (with Jeffrey Wasserstrom) of the third edition of China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know, which will be published by Oxford University Press in spring 2018.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
113 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book very informative, useful, and interesting. They describe it as easy to read, concise, and simple. Readers also appreciate the short chapters and brief account of China's history.

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Information contentEase of readingBook length
16 customers mention "Information content"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very informative, useful, and interesting. They say it provides good information on modern China and is a nice supplement to a full-scale textbook. Readers also mention the discussion of Mao is revealing and contains interesting surprises for all.

"...The discussion of Mao was revealing as was how we (West)) view China today and how they view us. Our similarities are very thought p5r4ovoking" Read more

"I was hoping to learn more about Chinese politics today. This was a mix of history, geography and politics...." Read more

"A short book but excellent if you are planning a trip to China, covers past history as well as current status within China and the rest of the world." Read more

"...Access to history is important, but slowed down preparation for a two-week class on Today's China I took...." Read more

6 customers mention "Ease of reading"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book concise, simple, and broad. They say it's easy to go back and reference. Readers also mention it's a good, quick, informal introduction to China's history and present.

"...The way it’s organized is very well done and will make it easy to go back and reference...." Read more

"I think this book it is a easy way to aproach to China's history and present...." Read more

"Required for a course- easy to read; nice intro to modern China." Read more

"This is a really easy to read book. There's lots of information in it, too. I really liked it for those reasons." Read more

3 customers mention "Book length"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book length to be short, excellent, and easy to read. They say it gives a very brief account of China's history.

"A short book but excellent if you are planning a trip to China, covers past history as well as current status within China and the rest of the world." Read more

"...The chapters of the book are very short and the book doesn't keep to long on the same item...." Read more

"An easy to read book, giving a very brief account of China's history, a difficult task covering more than 4000 years." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Paul J. Traina
5.0 out of 5 stars Informative book
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2014
Verified Purchase
An excellent and History of China's Dynasty period an how it influences China in the 21 st Century. The discussion of Mao was revealing as was how we (West)) view China today and how they view us. Our similarities are very thought p5r4ovoking
2 people found this helpful
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Priscilla Camargo
4.0 out of 5 stars Concise, Simple and Broad
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2023
Verified Purchase
I was hoping to learn more about Chinese politics today. This was a mix of history, geography and politics. The way it’s organized is very well done and will make it easy to go back and reference. There’s like ~70 topics/questions that get answered in 1-3 page segments. However, this book is very short and doesn’t cover much on present day
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Lillian K Earl
5.0 out of 5 stars Short but excellent
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2013
Verified Purchase
A short book but excellent if you are planning a trip to China, covers past history as well as current status within China and the rest of the world.
One person found this helpful
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Cowboy John
3.0 out of 5 stars Thorough BUT
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2013
Verified Purchase
With the bad habit of needing to start a book at the beginning, I had to be a third through before I learned anything about the 20th Century, let alone the 21st Century. Access to history is important, but slowed down preparation for a two-week class on Today's China I took. I will, though, pass the book on to daughter who has adopted two children from China.
2 people found this helpful
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Alexander D.
5.0 out of 5 stars For anyone looking to understand the worlds second biggest economy
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2018
Verified Purchase
I learned a lot about China reading this book. It even cleared up a few misconceptions I had about China. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about China. Check out the authors for anyone interested in the Asia pacific region.
4 people found this helpful
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Lautaro
4.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read but full of information
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2012
Verified Purchase
I think this book it is a easy way to aproach to China's history and present.

The chapters of the book are very short and the book doesn't keep to long on the same item. I recomend to anyone who wants to know about China and doesn't have much time.

Sorry for my english, I am from Argentina.

Pienso que el libro es una forma fácil de aproximarse a la historia y al presente de China.

Los capítulos del libro son cortos y el libro no se queda mucho tiempo en un mismo tema. Lo recomiendo para cualquiera que desee conocer más sobre China y no tenga mucho tiempo.
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Botany Dave
5.0 out of 5 stars Good overview of Modern China
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2016
Verified Purchase
Required for a course- easy to read; nice intro to modern China.
2 people found this helpful
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Mike
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent overview.
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2019
Verified Purchase
Great book to learn a little bit about a variety of topics about China, from ancient history to current events.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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robledo
5.0 out of 5 stars China in the 21st Century
Reviewed in Brazil on March 25, 2021
Verified Purchase
Ótimo livro. Simples e muito explicativo.
Obrigado
Robledo
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DMC
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential guide to new China
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2013
Verified Purchase
I am travelling to China for the first time at the end of the month and this book has provided me with an excellent introduction to this complex, multifaceted country which these days appears to be permanently on the brink of some sort of world domination, without ever quite getting there. The author is especially good on the summarising the dauntingly deep and sprawling history of the country in a way that shows how constantly relevant the country's past is to its present and future.
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Jean-Louis Desplat
3.0 out of 5 stars Too little; too many questions
Reviewed in France on September 18, 2010
Verified Purchase
Book is too short to be able to give more in-depth explanations of what China is like now. The format of introducing a subject through a question becomes quickly irritating, most questions and answers taking about one page. Altogether rather disappointing.
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Victoria B
4.0 out of 5 stars Question and Answer
Reviewed in Canada on January 3, 2013
Verified Purchase
The format of Question and Answer could only be usefully handled by a knowledgeable author. It worked well for me in this slim volume packed with up to date knowledge..
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thatdavewalsh
4.0 out of 5 stars Does exactly what it says on the cover
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2010
Verified Purchase
'What everyone needs to know' is the sub-title and that just about sums this lovely little book up to a tee. It's a little over 130 fact-filled pages long with around 25 additional pages of really useful footnotes and further reading suggestions - great for that long haul flight. It does have a very Sino-US bias - not surprising given the inextricable links between the two countries and if the book has a fault it is that the complex relationships between China and it's near neighbours are not given sufficient airing. Notwithstanding, a great book for getting up to speed in a hurry and a must if you are keen to understand what is going on in this fascinating country.
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