China Books

We chose China as our cross-cultural country to "visit" this year in conjunction with the up-coming Olympics. This was a great resource for me in preparing to teach about China, and with the lovely pictures, interesting to the students as well. I was especially pleased with the "free gifts"- the poster was a nice addition and I was able to use the CD pictures for writing promts for the students.

DK Eyewitness books are always great, but this one is special because I have so many Chinese students this year. They are not always able to tell me in English about China and I don't speak Chinese, but photographs and the short paragraphs which accompany them are helpful. Many of my Chinese students want to tell me about the Chinese mummies, or the terra cotta soldiers and other sights they've seen in China. It is helpful to communicate about everyday life there too. Now if only Eyewitness books reached out to cover Korea, Turkey and the Pacific Islands!

The price of this book is a bargain! Filled with hundreds of full color photos on large glossy spreads. Lots of Information in here about modern China...the country, nature, animals, food, money, art, families, language, government, etc. There is a big 4-color poster in the back of the book and a clip art CD included.

I bought this book because my daughters were born in China, and we have an interest in learning more. Since they are young, the colorful format and illustrations are great. And, there is a bonus CD of clip art, great for school reports or even scrapbooks. This book is not an in-depth study, however, but it does hit the highpoints very well.

Author Jonathan Story has assembled in one relatively short book a dense collection of facts, hypotheses and perspectives on China. Unlike many writers who have fixed ideas about China and use their books to promote their ideas, Story gives full and fair time to competing viewpoints. He is not selling a hypothesis, but exploring possibilities. Readers who prefer easy and definitive answers may feel frustrated, because Story provides only difficult and ambiguous alternatives. Yet his approach is solid, and more accurate than a finite stance could be. The future of anything is uncertain, and China is egregiously inscrutable, so any honest pronouncement on China's future must acknowledge uncertainty, difficulty and ambiguity. If the book has a demerit, it is that the author sometimes offers interesting, but meandering digressions through the minutiae of Chinese chronology without fully explaining why the details matter. China is perplexing, so we welcome this compilation of insight - we would have been glad to read even more.

China: the race to market is an excellent book for anyone who wishes to understand the direction in which the Chinese polity and economy is developing. For providing a background for developing strategies for business development it is therefore a must. And in addition it is a very enjoyable read.

The major attraction of the analysis is the clear exposition of the various forces bearing on policy making and action in China within the Communist state, and by implication therefore on the the economy and the business environment. One cannot make business strategy without reference to a coherent macro view of the relevant environment and for any business either seeking to operate in China, or likely to be impacted directly or indirectly by events there, there can be nothing better than this book to establish a coherent view of likely development.

Jonathan Story is one of only a few writers who can relate so credibly the connection between business decision-making and public policy making.. In China: Race to market, he documents political and economic developments in the emerging China of the 21st century. More importantly, especially for those at the helm of Western enterprises, Professor Story explains in clear terms the opportunities and the challenges facing those seeking to establish and grow businesses in China. It's a good read: compelling, thought provoking, and laced with sound and practical business advice.

Author Jonathan Story has assembled in one relatively short book a dense collection of facts, hypotheses and perspectives on China. Unlike many writers who have fixed ideas about China and use their books to promote their ideas, Story gives full and fair time to competing viewpoints. He is not selling a hypothesis, but exploring possibilities. Readers who prefer easy and definitive answers may feel frustrated, because Story provides only difficult and ambiguous alternatives. Yet his approach is solid, and more accurate than a finite stance could be. The future of anything is uncertain, and China is egregiously inscrutable, so any honest pronouncement on China's future must acknowledge uncertainty, difficulty and ambiguity. If the book has a demerit, it is that the author sometimes offers interesting, but meandering digressions through the minutiae of Chinese chronology without fully explaining why the details matter. China is perplexing, so we welcome this compilation of insight - we would have been glad to read even more.

Ted is a genuine expert on China. He understands both where it has been and where it is going. He is really talented in putting the data together and develop sharp and insightful perspectives into every respect of the Chinese economy. He shuttles frequently among Chinese mainland, Hongkong, Japan and U.S.. Hence,his insights are not from nowhere, but from his field research, observations, and in-depth talks with locals. It will remain an authoritative book for those interested in Chinese economy (including Chinese) for many years to come.

Ted has a talent for taking mute numbers and making them sing. Unlike some other China commentators, Ted looks at the facts first and then draws his conclusions. This is a must book for anyone who is interested in China's long term prospects and making moves now that will help assure sucess. China investments are not for short-termers and this information can help steer them in the right direction and mitigate risk factors. Ted's pan-asian perspective adds important dimensions to this tome.

I must say that having read, heard and seen the bulk of media reports on China (be it US relations, economy, social problems etc.), I can say that I know quite a fair bit about China. Having been living here for the past 2 and a half years gives me more on-the-ground knowledge too.

However, when I read China 2047, I realise that whatever I've known till date is either the tip of the iceberg, or just plain misleading information.

If you are simply just interested about China, whether you are for or against China's rise as an economic superpower, China 2047 will give you fresh ideas of what could happen in China and to China for the next 50 years. While I may not fully agree with the conclusions stated in this book, I must say that this has been one of the most thoroughly reasearched book on this topic I have ever seen, with lots of research data in it.

Read this book whether you are an armchair East Asian economist, or you have vested interests in this region. You'll get a rush from it.

Ted is a sharp observor and commentator. I read his book thoroughly and enjoyed every minute of it. Also, I met him personally in China twice. I highly recommend this book to anybody who is interested in the China phenomenon.

these are beautiful high-quality notecards. and the velcro-close box makes them seem even more fancy. i gave them to my mom for christmas and she loved them.

I enjoy nice stationery and notecards. These notecards are beautifully different and are of high quality paper. Even the envelopes are nice and thick (not flimsy) and are lined with a green color. I was very pleased with this purchase.

These cards are a fabulous choice for any stationary lover. The pictures are clear, moving, and different. Most satisfying is the thickness of the cards and envelopes-like that of fine stationary, not something you would buy at Hallmark. If you are look for high quality note cards that are beyond the ordinary, you've found them!

Imagine impressionists such as Claude Monet and Pierre Renoir painting flowers Oriental style. Although I had looked carefully at the photos available online, when I opened the box I was very surprised at how beautiful the paintings were.

I don't uncritcally like everything I pick out. For example, I also got the Blossoms notecards (photographs by Schenck) and was very disappointed.

Unbelievable new book--from the red plastic cover (meant to mirror, and mock, the Little Red Book of Mao Tse-tung) to the great historic photos to the informative text and interviews, this is a unique creation. It's part autobiography (Tam was born in China, moved to Hong Kong at age 3, and grew up there), part fashion history, part contemporary culture, and all fun. Special chapter called "Mao Crazy," on the cult of Mao is worth the cost of the book alone.`

Big book with stunning and bright photo illustrations that "bleed" off the page.

Ms. Tam understands the style of Hong Kong and China (especially Shanghai) like few others; the best of that style is all here. She writes with enthusiasm and love for many essential aspects of the appeal of a culture known for its centuries-old aesthetic and for its mass-production and other mass sensibilities.

Tam's education at the Hong Kong Polytechnic gives her a unique vantage point for isolating Chinese chic. She can view Cultural Revolution paraphrenalia with the eye of a designer, collector, and artist, rather than with painful memories. In a show of global sophistication, she understands East-meets-West sensibility (her chapter on Chinglish is told with an appealing tenderness). The text comes off without a shimmer of self-consciousness or compulsion to 'be Chinese.' There is camp, sex, zen, pizzazz and beauty, exploding off of every page and augmented by Tam's tales of exploration and appreciation.

Bonus interviews with composer Tan Dun and choreographer/visionary Danny Yung are painfully short, but the reader still gets a healthy dose of young Chinese intelligensia. The text is endearingly personal, Vivienne Tam sharing with the reader what her senses take in. It's quite delightful.

Great keepsake for people who have visited Hong Kong or Shanghai!

I just decorated my entire apartment in a fusion-asian style and this book was the last item I bought - to sit on my coffee table and accentuate the living room. I look at it all the time!!

Beautiful pictures throughout. What a wonderful book!!

If you are interested in Chinese art, culture, clothing, and history, then this is your Bible. Chalked full of photos that pop off the page. This witty and interesting book takes you from Ming to present day China. Vivienne Tam reflects on her life, born in mainland China, raised in Hong Kong, then moving to New York. She tells charming stories about what has influenced and inspired her and her collections. Great interviews with members of China's creative community, and who can forget Mao? The book is designed like a large coffee table version of Mao's little red book! This is simply stunning.

When I was about 15, I fell in love with this book, and really enjoyed reading about the family and the clay pit and the making of china. I was fascinated with the "Book of Hours", but didn't understand about matins, and lauds, etc. Would like to read this book again. Other books by Rumer Godden have also been enjoyed. Libby

This is one of my favorite books of all time, definitely in my personal Top 10, one I recommend to everyone who's a serious reader of fiction. To those uninitiated into Godden's unique writing style, it might seem stilted, aging badly, a typical mid-century "women's novel," but there is something wonderful in store for those who take the plunge. For a non-science-fiction novel, this book deals with time in an almost-magical-realism manner. Yes, in some ways it's just one more of those multi-generational-family novels, but the 100-plus years covered all seem to take place simultaneously, the past informing the present, the future humming softly in the shadows. On one page, in one paragraph, even, you might hear dialogue from any one of the vast cast of characters, living at any point of the house's existence. Something else I like very much about this book---the way we get to know this fictional family slowly, intimately, secrets and warts and all, echoing the way you might get become familiar with any new set of friends...As a bonus, there are lovely, intricate, twining, twisting plot-lines about rare books, beautiful gardens, destiny, love, and the wild Cornish countryside. I can't recommend it highly enough, even though I know perfectly well that there are philistines out there who will dislike it...and I think it's criminal that it's gone out of print again. Hunt it down! Buy it! Read it! You won't be sorry.

I fell into this book as into water and didn't come up until the last word. I cannot say enough about Rumer Godden's gift for words. I keep hoping I will find something I haven't read by her. I would encourage anyone to read every word she has ever written. It is like being in the middle of riches! Read the children's books!! The child in us loves all of her books. Enjoy!

I read China Court first as a teen. It has always meant so much to me that it became my favorite.The strong thread of family and the sense of family traditions continuing in the house has been its biggest appeal. I have seen myself as Ripsie the outsider but probably sympathize with Eliza much more as I grow older. She had such frustrations over her limited life as a Victorian woman. I still read it now and then just for the beauty of the language.

The work of Michael Pillsbury has been almost as popular in Chinese military circles as it is in the United States. His previous report on Chinese views of future warfare was noted enthusiastically by Chinese military scholars, although there was some concern over his liberal reference to high ranking Chinese sources.

Nevertheless, Pillsbury was able to return to drink from the same well in preparing China Debates the Future Security Environment. His sources are highly placed and respected members of China's security apparatus, and include members of leading think tanks, such as the China Institute for International Studies, as well as People's Liberation Army leadership.

The great value of the work is that between its covers Pillsbury shows a comprehensive picture of Chinese perspectives on a variety of topics relating to future security environments. He explains contemporary Chinese Communist Party rationale for viewing the future based on an amalagam of ancient Chinese statecraft (views drawn from the Warring States Era, which many Chinese use to draw comparisons with today's single superpower system) and current methodology for calculating the comprehensive national power (CNP) of modern states. The CNP of the United States will decline in the future, the Chinese are required to believe, and their calculations go to some lengths to show this pattern in various ways.

Most interesting to me was a discussion of China's three views of future threats and how these relate to special interest groups inside the PLA. People's War traditionalists are still the most powerful bloc and control most budget decisions. Their future posits a large enemy, such as the United States, Russia, India or a resurgent Japan. Power projection advocates see the future differently in terms of local wars around China's periphery. They advocate modernization, smaller and more professional forces. The revolution in military affairs (RMA) enthusiasts see no immediate major threat for a number of years, time, they say, to transform key parts of the military force to be technologically competitive with the West.

There is a fourth future, explained in Unrestricted Warfare, a book by two senior colonels in the PLA published last year. It advocates removing all rules and restrictions in the conduct of war to enable the "inferior to defeat the superior." Available too late for Pillsbury to consider in this work, Unrestricted Warfare may represent a synthesis of views on the future way of war from a Chinese perpective, even though it "does not represent official doctrine."

I commend Pillsbury's work to both the serious and casual student of Chinese military affairs. He has done a service for those on both sides of the Pacific.

Pillsbury's excellent work reminds Americans of the danger of expecting other nations to mirror our notions, objectives and policies. Fascinating Chinese foreign policy insights throughout the book. Some of the translated policy proposals/commentaries were really quite shocking. It should be required reading for all presidential (and Congressional) candidates. A "serious" book -- but very "readable", and definitely NOT just for policy "wonks." Availability may be troublesome as it is published by the National Defense University (NDU) and available through the Government Printing Office (GPO)[sorry Amazon ;-) ].

I have learned that perceptions are sometimes more important than facts and in the case of the Chinese viewpoint of the world situation, this holds true. This book describes in an interesting fashion, the Chinese perception of the motives, strengths and weaknesses of the world powers.

The Chinese use an interesting method of determining a nation's relative power using a quasi-mathematical formula to determine the Comprehensive National Power (CNP) of any given nation. They use this also to project the future CNP of given nations.

This interesting process is described in detail and the varying uses of this CNP are described. The Chinese show the most interest in the United States, Russia, Europe (mainly Germany, France and the United Kingdom), Japan, India and China. These calculations are focused through the lens of Chinese perception. This is based on Chinese history including ancient Chinese history, Marxism, Mao thought and the writings of Deng tso Peng. This is the most fascinating portion of the book.

For example, some factions in this debate feel that Japan is becoming militaristic and will want power in Asia. Most feel that Russia will become their friend in the coming struggles. The optomists feel that there will be a multipolar power sharing between China, Europe, Russia, the United States and Japan in a atmosphere of cooperation.

You may or may not disagree with the Chinese conclusions but the reality is, they believe that the world operates the way they see it and will react to world events accordingly.

Beyond ranking this fantastic work, there isn't much I can add that previous reviewers haven't admirably covered. It is necessary for our country to understand the needs that motivates the calculations Pillsbury illustrates in his book. It is essential for the American debate about our relationship with China to include texts such as these, which highlight important concerns for Americans, but transcend the current dichotomy of right-wing paranoia and left-wing romanticism toward China.

While Pillsbury's book is devoted to a very specific topic, the tone and quality of his work helps illustrate China's foreign policy communities in ways that are absent in the sterotyped visions of China usually constructed. Instead of having to fall in with one or the other viewpoint that is more an argument about domestic ideology than about China, we ought to remember that it is the clarity of our vision that is the most important technique for ensuring American security. Public relations gestures of saber-rattling or apologia accomplish just the obvious. That is why careful attention paid to work such as Pillsbury's book makes us better off in the long run.

China Girl was an awesome read from start to finish. I was not able to put the book down because I needed to know what was happening next. You just get engrossed into the characters and felt all the emotions they were going through. I finished it in one day! When I was nearing the end I knew I wanted more. I would recommend this read to anyone. J :)

With its focus on tough, raw issues such as sexual abuse, alcoholism, and cultural Otherness, Sophie Mokhtari's China Girl is by no means an easy read. But it's a beautiful, powerful one that calls attention to issues that many women are too afraid or ashamed to discuss out loud; moreover, it offers those women hope. Plus--because it would be silly to not mention this--it's quite simply a page-turner. Five stars.

"China Girl" tells the story of two women, a mother and daughter, who are separated by more than just their two generations. Anna is a self-absorbed 16 year-old with her sites on great things when her dreams are ended by an unwanted pregnancy by a boy she doesn't like. Directed by the culture of Hong Kong in the 1960's, she is forced to follow a different route, going to America with her new, equally unwanted husband, while leaving her infant daughter behind to be raised by her parents in Hong Kong.

Lily is Anna's daughter, a spirited youngster who is adored by her grandparents. She enjoys a happy life in Hong Kong. But her sweet life turns sour when she is sent to America to live with her estranged parents and two younger siblings she never knew she had. As Lily grows, she endures so many heartaches that is is sometimes hard to turn the pages of this book. Any woman can relate to some of the troubles, while others are unspeakable!

Sophie Mokhtari based her first novel on personal experience and she has given us an exceptional story of womanhood, mother-daughter relationships, and the difficulties of growing up in a culture that demands silence. There are moments of joy and triumph here and other parts of the story that make you appreciate your own family dysfunctions! I have passed this book along to my mother, who is 77, and several friends of varying ages (25 to 45) and every woman loved the book. It has a universal message for all women. Treat yourself to a close look at "China Girl" and you'll be so glad you did!!!

I loved this book. I felt that I was living the story with the characters. I was drawn into every situation and I enjoyed the vivid descriptions. The people and places jumped off the page. I was sorry to say good-bye to these characters when I read the last page. This would make a great movie. I am recommending this book to all of my friends.
JC

This book is an extraordinary example of what is yet to come as more of Athenasius' works are uncovered and translated. This treatment is extraordinarily lucid and shares intimate glimpses of how this man lived his private life and shared his voracious curiosity with the world.

Charles Van Tuyl's translation of CHINA ILLUSTRATA is a literary piece of art. It provides the Modern reader in English with a powerful document through which to better understand East-West relations. It offers a thoughtful picture of "old China."

At last! Charles Van Tuyl's translation of Athanasius Kircher's "China Illustrated" reveals the finer nuances of a text almost 400 years of its time. This book not only shows how China appeared to the first European missionaries and travelers, but illuminates how the cultures of Europe and Asia influenced each other from the earliest times . . . most modern scholars and researchers are only beginning to understand these relationships.

Here we have the exposition of the life and times of a man who was one of the first to document the travels of westerners to the far east. Also one of the first authors who successfuly wrote about Buddism and Hinduism as actual religions without being burned at the stake for it ! An unpretentious translation of an author every bit the equivalent of Galileo or DaVinci. There are over 200 other titles to bring to print.

Reviewed by Sandra MacLean for Reader Views (3/06)

The minute you even think of doing business in China, Japan or Korea, do yourself a favour and run out to pick up this book. Author Mia Doucet avoids dry, jargon filled pages as she delivers practical tips you can use to approach these markets, giving your company a greater chance for success. She conveys the excitement of discovering a new culture while remaining tightly focused on what this understanding means for doing business.

Doucet makes getting to know your market a breeze with her easy to understand and easy to use advice. This book is full of intriguing gems of priceless information. Just this one example should rouse your curiosity: Why should you always wear clean socks without holes? (See page 114 for the answer.)

She does a great job of making the culture come to life so business planners can improve their chance of success just by being better informed than their competitors. How better to show your respect than to go the extra mile to gain an understanding of the new environment in which you intend to do business. Moreover, you will get to know some pitfalls you should avoid that could get in the way as you attempt to establish profitable relationships.

Doucet gives you clear advice on where you need to pay attention. Consider this common decision - Do you need an interpreter or a translator? Should you hire at home or do you think you can get by with hiring someone once you arrive? Well, that depends on if you "know whether to kiss, bow or go on a bender." You'll have to read the book to find out the answer! In the end, you'll understand not just what you need to do but why.

For such a meaty book, it is a surprisingly easy read. I'd be tempted to say, "Read this on your flight to the far east," but you will be very glad that you found this information long before you board the plane. Just be sure to take it with you in case you forget some of the details.

This is a book that could help a much broader audience. It's not only useful for those going overseas to do business but it would also give a tremendous advantage to any North American planning to travel in the Pacific Rim countries whether for business, pleasure or as part of volunteer organizations.

Staff members of companies on this continent who host guests from the Pacific Rim would also benefit from this information. Our western customs are so familiar to us that we may not always realize how foreign they are to visitors from other cultures. Imagine how much this greater sensitivity could enhance the experience you plan for future visits with business colleagues from around the world.

Doucet offers the reader a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of international business. It's a good read even if you have no plans at the moment to move into these markets. When the time does come, you will be very glad you have this resource in your toolbox.

With "China in Motion: 17 Secrets...", Ms Doucet has created a wonderfully useful book for every entrepreneur who is eyeing the Asian markets. With 1.3 billion residents in China alone, EVERY entrepreneur should be setting their sites on the Asian markets. (It is no surprise that this Far Eastern country has earned the moniker, "the new land of opportunity".)

Each and every one of Ms. Doucet's secrets is important. I especially appreciated #4: "Think in terms of a web of relationship". I have found this to be especially important in my dealing with Japanese associates - a very different approach from the typical Western "it's-all-about-me" perspective.

Every business person who wants to do business in China, Japan and/or South Korea owes it to themselves to buy this book. The next time I travel to one of these countries, this book will be my closest traveling companion.

I was just in China on business and upon returning my sister recommended this book. I was astonished as I was reading it because it described exactly what I had experienced. This is an excellent guide for anyone who would like to do business in China and there is nothing like actually being there and experiencing it. I do highly recommend that you read this book as well as learn Mandarin if you intend to do business in China. My hat is off to Mia! Thank you for providing this wonderful guide.

This book has many good quotes and bits of information that will help you understand what it takes and the thinking required to do business in Asia....there are many good hints from the differences in culture to personal habits that may offend the customer....an example "not writing on the back of the business card...and the thinking behind it..." Very well written book.